Ethiopian flowers are likely to become a hit in the international auction market bolstered by foreign investment such as KKR & Co., an American private equity fund, maiden venture into Africa through Ethiopia’s sweetheart rose producer Afriflora. But where does this leave the country in terms of food security? This question becomes poignant when considering that 40 percent of the nation’s 80 million people are undernourished, according to an estimate by the International Food Policy Research Institute. The horn of Africa Nation is the second-largest producer of cut flowers in Africa after Kenya, with 2012 exports reaching $168 million in value. Total exports from Ethiopia total about $3 billion annually, and coffee is its most prominent commodity. The country’s flower-growers could, by many measures, be considered an example of true commercial success with a major potential benefit of creating much needed jobs. For example Afriflora, a Fairtrade International certified comp