Local Machinery for Ethiopia’s Food Future
Location:
Mekelle, Ethiopia
Sector:
Manufacturing
The Challenge
When good harvests go to waste.
Food’s being lost—and so is local growth.
Despite Ethiopia’s rich agricultural potential, smallholder farmers and local businesses continue to lose a significant share of their harvests. The reason? A lack of affordable, practical and climate smart equipment to process what they grow. Imported machines are expensive, hard to maintain, and rarely built with local realities in mind. As a result, tons of food go to waste, potential income disappears, and growth across the food value chain stalls.
And building a business in regions shaped by uncertainty and disruption hasn’t exactly made things easier. For Ethiopian entrepreneurs, the past few years have demanded more than just staying afloat – they’ve required resilience, creativity, and a deep belief in local solutions.
NEED FOR LOCAL SOLUTIONS
Impact that scales
The innovation
Smart tools for small-scale power.
MG Electromechanical Engineering is filling a real gap in Ethiopia: durable, locally tailored machines for rural and small-scale producers – at prices they can actually afford.
From oil presses to dough mixers, MG’s locally manufactured machines help farmers, cooperatives, and entrepreneurs reduce losses and add value to their harvests. Founded by Mearg Gebremedhn, MG backs its products with training, installation, and reliable after-sales support – ensuring every customer has what they need to succeed. With over 60 clients across Tigray and surrounding regions, MG is showing what made-in-Ethiopia innovation can do. For every machine he produces (and creates jobs with) his customers create three more, which makes this company a real job engine in a region that needs it the most.
The Standout
Built Different - Because the Founder Is, Too
MG’s edge isn’t just in the machines. What sets the company apart is a rare mix: affordable, locally built machinery backed by real customer support and a serious commitment to reducing Ethiopia’s dependency on imports. But the true standout?
The founder behind it all.
Building a business in Ethiopia – especially in the country’s northern regions – has demanded more than just technical know-how. It’s taken persistence, resourcefulness, and a clear vision for what local manufacturing can achieve. Where others saw instability, Mearg Gebremedhn saw a reason to act. He didn’t wait for the perfect conditions – he got to work.
It’s a reflection of the kind of entrepreneurship that drives real change: resilient, homegrown, and ready to power the next chapter of Ethiopia’s food system.
TURNING VISION INTO VENTURE
Key Facts
Venture impact
Economics
- Locally made machinery lowers costs for users supporting consistent market demand.
- Reduces reliance on expensive imports and strengthens local manufacturing.
- Job creation through each machine sold—creating a ripple effect across operations, maintenance, and distribution.
Climate
- Reduces post-harvest losses with efficient, small-scale processing equipment
- Promotes better resource use and cuts food waste
- Efficient, right-sized machines for local use cases minimize energy and material input
Social
- Empowers smallholders, cooperatives, and women-led businesses
- Builds skills and employment in underserved rural communities
- Increased female employment within the company and beyond
Venture
Meet the Founder
Mearg Gebremedhn
Founder and CEO
Economist-turned-engineer Mearg Gebremedhn proves that the best solutions don’t have to come from overseas and has become a driving force in Ethiopia’s local manufacturing scene. With over a decade of hands-on experience in product design and machinery development, he brings deep technical know-how and relentless entrepreneurial energy.
When his wife’s small bakery needed machines, Mearg built them himself -teaching himself design, testing in his backyard, and kickstarting what would become MG Electromechanical Engineering. Today, his machines power bakeries and agro-processors across Ethiopia - creating jobs with every unit sold.
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