The five major cereals teff, wheat, maize, sorghum and barley are the core items in Ethiopia’s agriculture and food economy. There has been substantial growth in cereals in terms of area cultivated, yields and production since 2015 according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), recent report.
However, yields are low compared to international standards as overall production is highly susceptible to weather shocks, particularly droughts. Thus, raising production levels and reducing their vulnerability are essential aspects of improving food security in Ethiopia, both to help ensure adequate food availability and to increase rural household incomes.
Currently, the Ethiopian government is striving to transform the agricultural sector through undertaking various measures. It is doing its level best through assisting the sector by providing contemporary and mechanized tools, inputs and stretching infrastructure in the rural part of the country.
Furthermore, to enhance the role of the sector supplying raw materials to Agro-industries is dedicated for the creation of value chain to deliver the product to the market eliminating illegal brokers. As a result, the overall performance of the agriculture sector is showing good progress year after year.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), more than 12.77 million hectares of land has been cultivated by the crop season in the budget year with a cluster form of cultivation countrywide focused on market-oriented crops such as sesame, wheat, maize and barley.
In this budget year crop season, the country sets to harvest 374.66 million quintals by the 2025/26 crop season. Sufficient agricultural inputs supply, active engagements of sector professionals, and new agricultural technologies utilization sought to realize the target production.
Accordingly, the introduction of new agricultural technologies and agricultural inputs will raise the production and productivity. Reports are showing that the country’s crop production is growing year after year following the application of latest agricultural technologies and because of the availability of untapped suitable land, among others.
In addition, the coordinated environmental protection activities undertaking across the country is also a plus to the increasing of agricultural productivity through contributing its part to curb soil degradation and erosion.
On the other hand, inconsistent weather condition, some sort of conflict in some parts of the country, pest occurrence on crops and low level of new agricultural technologies expansion and accessibility throughout the country are some of the sector bottlenecks.
More importantly, the ministry prioritizes that harvesting should be done in a way that minimizes post-harvest waste. In most areas, harvest is expected to begin in early November. Precautionary measures should be taken in the Rift Valley, the northeast, and other lowlands of the country, where harvesting takes place in springs. Leaders and experts at all levels are working hard to mobilize farmers to harvest crops.
During the land cultivation season, the supply and utilization of agricultural inputs and technical support to farmers is highly demanded for crop development, says Demis Chanyalew (PhD), an agronomist. The Ministry of Agriculture and other pertinent stakeholders should exert their efforts by providing technical assistance by extension workers, he added.
He further said that before cropping farmers should obtain information with regard to the weather condition whether it is favourable or not from the extension works and based on that they should perform their farming.
He also said that, since our harvesting system is mostly manpower based, each farmer should coordinate his own and his family’s labour as well as coordinate with other farmers to ensure that the harvested crops are kept dry and reduced loss. Agricultural professionals need to pay close attention to the efficient use of time by connecting service providers and consumers and mobilizing the farmer so that harvest mechanization can be widely used in areas where agricultural mechanization can be used.
In case of unseasonal rains, the Ministry highlighted that mobilizing the local human resources, including students, government employees, urban residents, etc., helps to harvest the crop timely. Similarly, in areas where there is a security crisis, the contribution of farmers is important to the well-being of the country parallel with harvesting their crop. It is also necessary to strengthen the support and monitoring activities of the farmers, from the federal to the kebele level. In addition appreciating and recognizing of farmers achievement witnessed by their yield is essential.
Experts recommended that controlling post-harvest loss is also fundamental to ensure sector’s competitiveness in the national economy. Post-harvest loss is the major hindrance for ensuring food security and poverty reduction strategies in many developing countries. Thus, the ministry should work hand in hand with pertinent stakeholders and improving farmer’s awareness so that enable enhancing national capacities in post-harvest management, building and strengthening public-private partnership linkages. In addition developing regulatory guidelines for post-harvest practices is vital. Improving the supply of pesticide, herbicide and other agricultural inputs expected to advance production and productivity in the upcoming crop season.
According to a 2023 study conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Ethiopia, post-harvest loss of maize, wheat, haricot bean, and sorghum is 15, 14, 21 and 27 percent respectively. Losses occur between productions at the farm level up to consumption. As part of the implementation of the Post-Harvest Management Strategy in Grains, the government of Ethiopia approved duty-free tax for the importation of post-harvest handling technologies and raw materials such as galvanized sheet metal for fabricating metal silos.
It is obvious that Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa and the main stay of its economy is agriculture as more than 80 percent of the population is engaged in this sector. However, due to underutilization of technology, inputs such as fertilizer and pest and herbicides, the yield per hectare is very small even by the sub Saharan African countries standard.
Worse to these, in time of severe weather conditions induced by climate change and global warming, facing various challeng and uncertainty is common in the sector.
In order to change the situation to the better the government tried its level best by providing small scale farmer’s extension services, supply inputs and supporting the creation of viable value chain. In addition to these, the government introduced new farming technology through doing the farm work through clustering. Certifying farmers land use rights has helped them to develop confidence and enhance productivity.
It also created enabling environment to investors to invest their money in the sector so that, modern farming which enhances production and productivity will be booming. The beginning of large scale farming in some parts of the country inspire small scale farmers who grow similar crops instead of growing fragmentally and are fostered to plow and grow by combining their plot to produce in the large scale manner. In such a way farmers coordinate their labor, knowledge, skill and capital for the better outcome. It is proved that, such approach could enable farmers to raise their productivity and amount of production.
In the highlands of Oromia, Amhara and Southern Nations Nationalities States the practice of cluster farming proved that it is feasible in enhancing productivity. The 10 years perspective home grown economic growth plan stipulates clustering farm to be scaled up. The production of wheat and maize through such practice proved to bring better result. If it is continued, it is predicted that at least substituting the importation of wheat by local products could be possible.
As mentioned above Ethiopia is a populous country in Africa but it is not self-sufficient in ensuring food security which is embarrassing. While it has adequate arable land with sufficient water resources, it is unfair to depend on outside aid for food. Therefore, working hard to raise agricultural productivity for self –sufficiency is vital.
BY ABEBE WOLDEGIORGIS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 30 MAY 2025
