ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopian Agriculture Research Institute said that Agricultural Growth Program-II (AGP-II) has been instrumental in supplying farmers with agricultural technologies needed to increase productivity.
Speaking to the media, Mandefro Nigussie (Ph.D.), Director General of the Institute, stated that the project has assisted farmers in applying technology and research in productive areas, and, overall, ensuring food security.
AGP-II Research Coordinator, Sofiya Kassa for her part noted the program had been fruitful as it opened huge opportunities to supply farmers with agricultural technologies that directly link with the other components of the program. It has enabled the Ministry of Agriculture to implement pre-extension demonstration of proven agricultural technologies, and produce proven technologies to large-scale multipliers.
According to her, so far, the program has completed the generation and adaptation of 495 technologies that contributed to the productivity and commercialization of the agriculture sector. “As such, 94.6 percent of the target was reached.”
Out of these technologies, she continued, the lion share went towards crops while a total of 151 technologies were promoted to sub-sectors like natural resources and livestock. The remaining related to mechanization, socio-economics, climate-geospatial, and Agricultural nutrition.
Since 2015, the Project has anticipated that 240 technologies will reach the promotion stage. To this end, 338 (140% of the target) technologies were promoted through the pre-extension demonstration approach.
The Ethiopian Herald, December 25/2019
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
