ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (WIC)―The Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources said that Ethiopia has maximized productivity from 50 million quintals to 290 million quintals in the past 26 years at national level.
Public Relations Head with the Ministry, Alemayehu Berhanu, told Walta (WIC) that agriculture in Ethiopia is recording a significant achievement following the policy and strategies set by the government to ensure productivity, farmers’ benefits and scale up the overall agriculture sector since 1991.
Productivity was 50 million quintals 26 years back; now, it could be possible to pursue productivity even within a single crop items; currently production in maize and wheat has reached 79 and 95 million quintals, respectively.
According to Alemayehu, production in main crop items excluding vegetables, fruits and roots has now reached 290 million quintals at national level.
Productivity in the country is now 23 quintals per hectare; though there are enabling conditions to produce 50-60 million quintals per hectare.
Similarly, the ministry has planned to cover 12.2 million hectares of land this Meher farming season. So far 30 percent of the target is completed.
Capacity building, productive technology both in theoretical and practical and diluting acidic soil are undertaken during the preparation stages, it was noted.
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Apart from the ordinary fertilizers like Urea and DAP the Ministry has distributed 9 million quintals of four different balanced fertilizers. Besides, 2.7 million quintals of improved seeds are distributed.
Exploiting flood, irrigation, surface water, and other immense water resources of the country is a solution to resist drought and to be free from rain dependent agriculture. The Ethiopian Metrology Agency is cooperatively working with the ministry to deliver farmers updated information on weather forecast.
Walta has learned that Ethiopia has targeted to harvest 345 million quintals of production this Meher season.
Source: Walta
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