Agricultural based economy is one of the strategies of Ethiopian government. Using agriculture as a means the government is trying its best to speed up its economic growth and realize food security. As the economy grow and the population increase, consumers demand for certain types of foods is expected to increase. In this regard, the demand of the society has to be filled by better and improved means of production.
Lately, the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) has officially launched the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) at the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa in the presence of FDRE President Sahle-Work Zewde, ambassadors and representatives of farmers from the ACC.
After successfully piloting the ACC (Agricultural Commercialization Clusters) approach and draw lessons from the four regions (Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, and Tigray) ATA has mobilized its resource to implement the initiative. While doing this, the ATA is working with stakeholders and regional partners.
Launching the program last week, FDRE President Sahle-Work Zewde said, the ACC and the achievements it registered so far, and the promise it holds for the future of agriculture in the country is something bright. “The ACC is impactful, market-driven and value chain approach led by the government of Ethiopia that will contribute to the transformation of agriculture and improvement of the livelihoods of Ethiopia farmers.
I would like to underscore that inclusion and sustainability is key to success of this program, and call on implementers to intentionally promote the participation of woman and youth in leadership roles in the implementation of the ACC. In this respect, ACC have to appreciate women participation.”
Netsanet Kebede, is a farmer from Gojam Shendi Woreda. She is among the ACC beneficiaries. For her ACC is a good approach towards productivity and creating market chain. “We cultivate in 170 hectare land by separating 8 cluster on this cultivation. 14 female and 273 male farmers have participated. We use all packages to have good products and create market chain. Hopefully, we are going to collect better product.”
Agricultural Transformation Agency, CEO Khalid Bomba, said that farmers are the most important partners in the ACC implementation and ATA is committed to work with them in a value-chain approach. He said, the over all activities of ATA should benefit the country in general and farmers in partner. Their active involvement in the ACC has a direct impact on its future success.
The ACC is an initiative that focused on improving land productivity, reducing land degradation, improve access to the domestic and international markets, increase agro processing and value-added activities, and create off-farm employment opportunities.
Through these interventions, the ACC program has a vision to commercialize smallholder agriculture through an inclusive and environmentally sustainable approach, improving incomes for the rural population and create employment opportunities for youth and empower women.
The ACC is a five-year program of the Government of Ethiopia coordinated by the ATA. It focuses on 10 priority commodities in a geographically clustered and integrated approach currently implemented in four regions Amhara, Oromia, SNNP and Tigray, and targets doubling the income of nearly 5 million smallholder farmers in five years. During the five-year period between 2019/20 and 2023/24, the ACC will be implemented in 300 selected woredas grouped into 31 crop clusters.
The Ethiopian Herald December6, 2019
BY BETHLEHEM ASFAW
