ADAMA –Ethiopia has to harvest the limited amount of rain waters in which it would receive in the coming dry (Bega) season to mitigate possible impact on agricultural production, Ethiopian Metrology Institute (EMI) urged.
The institute made the announcement during the National Climate Outlook Forum of Bega2024/25 that held on August 30 and 31 in Adama city with a theme: “Climate Service for Early Warning and Early Action”.
Briefing the media on the forecast, EMI Director General Fetene Teshome said that some parts of the country, in which Bega is secondary rainy season, such as East and South Somali, South Oromia, Sidama and South Ethiopia states would get normal and below normal rainfall as of September 29, 2024.
Accordingly, the consolidation of national activities to collecting rain waters in these areas through constructing irrigation dams to reduce impacts.
On the other hand, Fetene expressed that normal rainfall performance is anticipated to dominate across Borena, Guji, Sidama and Southern portions of Ethiopia. Meanwhile, early onset and early session of Bega2024/25 rainfall will be also expected in the aforementioned period.
Mentioning that, much of the northern, north-eastern, eastern and central Ethiopia will have unseasonal rainfall, the Director General has urged stakeholders to intensify harvesting works in these areas where crops have been grown during the rainy (Kiremt ) season.
Likewise, the southwestern and western portions of the country will dominantly receive above normal rainfall with occasional heavy rainfall pattern, Fetene stated.
On the other hand, above-normal to slightly near-normal temperature is expected over the eastern, central and southeastern part of Ethiopia, while the daily minimum temperature expected to reach 5 degree Celsius over northeastern, eastern and southern areas, he noted.
According to the Director General, the reliability of weather forecasts of the institute is increasing through time which has been proved by its successful predictions including the above normal rainfall the country experienced last Kiremt season.
Minister of Water and Energy, Eng. Habtamu Itefa on his part said that the country must work on harvesting rain waters to improve agricultural production and prevent floods.
Such measure is important as it helped the developed world to achieve prosperity and mitigate climate change impacts, he added.
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
The Ethiopian herald September 1/2024
