ADDIS ABABA – African agriculture must be led and owned by Africans to bring about lasting improvements in crop productivity, according to experts in the field.
Agricultural researcher Tsedeke Abate (PhD), who has worked at both national and international levels, told The Ethiopian Herald that Africa’s agricultural history remains largely untold and underexplored. He emphasized that meaningful progress requires long-term commitment and collaboration among African scholars and farmers.
“The true transformation of African agriculture lies in leveraging local expertise and indigenous knowledge,” Tsedeke said. “Relying on external development models and outsourcing will not bring sustainable change. Instead, we must focus on homegrown solutions and generational knowledge transfer.”
He stressed that sustainable agricultural growth will come from empowering African experts to lead research and innovation, fostering open dialogue to identify challenges, set priorities, and develop context-specific solutions.
Tsedeke, who is also the founder and leader of the Homegrown Vision Group, added that increasing agricultural productivity and feeding Africa’s growing population will require more than just technological inputs. “It demands a holistic approach that values biodiversity, indigenous knowledge, and the unique characteristics of local ecosystems,” he said.
By integrating traditional ecological wisdom with modern scientific innovations, Africa can enhance its agricultural resilience and sustainability, making the most of its existing natural resources.
While Ethiopia has seen some progress in farming activities and crop yields, Tsedeke noted that the benefits of agricultural research often take years sometimes decades to fully materialize. “Over the past 60 years, we have gained invaluable insights from research, and it is crucial we build on those lessons to ensure a food-secure future,” he concluded.
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 29 MAY 2025
