Farmers in the highlands of Wogera, Dabat and Debarq Woredas in North Gondar Zone of the Amhara Regional State, produce barley and sell the spares from consumption in the local market. This year’s price was not more than ETB 800 per quintal. They also incur transportation costs and other expenses to avail their produce for sale. But the worst part is, they may not find market, particularly in the harvest seasons from November to January when every local farmer produces barley in surplus and takes it out to the market.

Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, in his first official visit to Kenya in November 2012, elaborated how it will be profitable for Kenyans to invest in Ethiopia. During this meeting with the country’s business people, he mentioned some of the benefits they will reap if they engage in Africa’s second populous nation. He mentioned the natural wealth and cheap labour in the nation to sway his audience. Among other things, he stressed that the country has one of the cheapest electric fare in the world, making it an ideal place to establish a manufacturing plant. But what the Premier short fall of disclosing to the potential investors was how his country is also among the nations where power interruptions and sporadic blackouts and brown outs (reductions in voltage) are all but common, and in fact part of everyday life.