Since 2011 the Italian Development Cooperation — in collaboration with the Istituto Agronomico per l’Oltremare — has been supporting the agricultural development of the Bale rural areas, in the region of Oromia. Activities are implemented by local organizations and are focused mainly on durum wheat and forest coffee cultivation.

Over the next five years the durum wheat chain should supply the domestic industry with about 500 thousand tons of grain with good development prospects both for a growing domestic demand and a strong international demand for durum wheat and pasta.