Report raises questions over idle land at Saudi Star’s Ethiopia farm project
A new investigation says much of Saudi Star Agricultural Development’s 14,020-hectare Ethiopian land portfolio remains idle more than 15 years after the rice project began.
In short
- A new investigation says much of Saudi Star Agricultural Development’s 14,020-hectare Ethiopian land portfolio remains idle more than 15 years after the rice project began.
A new investigation has raised questions about the performance and local impact of Saudi Star Agricultural Development Plc’s large-scale rice investment in Ethiopia.
The investigation, published by Nigeria’s Premium Times and subsequently reported by Addis Standard through AllAfrica, says much of the company’s 14,020-hectare land portfolio in the Gambella and Benishangul-Gumuz regions remains idle. The project was launched more than 15 years ago.
The findings concern both the project’s delivery against its investment promises and its reported human costs. The claims are attributed to the published investigation; the available source material did not include a response from Saudi Star or Ethiopian authorities.
The project has long been presented as a major agricultural investment. The latest reporting renews scrutiny of how much land has been developed and what benefits the investment has produced for surrounding communities.
