ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) has officially launched the Agricultural Commercialization Cluster (ACC) here in Addis yesterday in the presence of President Sahle-Work Zewde.
A five year program coordinated by ATA, it focuses on 10 high-value commodities in a geographically clustered areas with the target of doubling the income of nearly 5 million smallholder farmers in five years.
On the launching ceremony, State Minister of Agriculture Sani Redi said most farmers in the country work on small, sparse lands, and this cluster system is helping them to collect better yield than previous. We are working to provide training opportunities and loan to the farmers to help with their productivity, he added.
A farmer from Tigrai region, Michael Yohannes, told The Ethiopian Herald that the cluster idea has been very helpful to them, as clustering into 40 farmers; they now sow 8.5 hectare land within one day whilst also weeding it within one day. “Previously, we had a productivity of 15-20 quintals per hectare, but now, by working in cluster we expect to collect 38-40 quintals per hectare.” The program is also beneficiary for women, as 15 of those 40 farmers are females.
The program, which was introduced as a mechanism to integrate the interventions prioritized in the agricultural transformation agenda, will be implemented in 421 selected woredas grouped into 31 geographical clusters across four regional States, Tigray, Amhara, SNNP and Oromia.
In the launching program, an engagement agreement was signed between Ethiopia, the European Union, Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and Netherlands Development Cooperation.
The Ethiopian Herald, November 29/2019
BY BETHLEHEM ASFAW
