(In
the country, the culprit posing a challenge is not the land fragmentation but
the mind fragmentation)
Name: Abera Deressa Wirtu
Occupation: Advisor, researcher
Position: Former State Minister MOARD, Deputy Director General EIAR,
Senior researcher EIAR, and served his country at national and international levels.
Educational level: PhD, BSc, MSc.
Publications: Over 40 publications including books, journals, proceedings, production guide lines, extension pamphlets and training materials.
Over 100 key notes and opening addresses.
Awards: Certificate from International Livestock Research Institute for his outstanding contribution, certificate from African Center of Agricultural Research, and more than thirteen certificates and honorary degrees and diplomas from different national and international research institutions and universities.
Abera Deressa (PhD) has 45 years of experiences including 32 years in research. For five years he was a state Minister of Agriculture, for ten years he was a senior researcher and advisor for GOs and NGOs and civil societies.
In addition, Abera Deressa had been serving as board chairperson and member of different universities and institutions. He is among the scholars who served their country to the expected level. The Ethiopian Herald had a privilege to interview Abera Deressa (PhD). Excerpts…
The Ethiopian Herald: What inspired you to join the agricultural sector?
Abera Deressa (PhD): While I was learning at Ambo, I was interviewed by the National Research Institute director general to join the sector. At the time such a chance was offered only to ten top students. Then I joined Holeta Research Institute. After that, I was assigned to manage Nejo Research Institute. At the time I was the head officer, financial and human resource head, and technical assistance for the center.
The area was highly affected by the acidic soil. Due to that, the crop production of the locality was very low. That was why I was assigned there to curb the problem through research findings. Finally, senior researchers and I were able to troubleshoot the challenges related to soil acidity of the area. The methodology we used to solve the problem proved a most effective one to address soil acidity.
Herald: To how many research findings have you contributed so far?
Abera (PhD): It was to research I devoted the bigger slice of my life if not entirely. I had been serving the country from technical assistance to head of researches at different state and national levels. Once, while I was working for Melkassa Research Center, I was enthusiastic to see farmers’ problems addressed. So I identified different problems and took feedback from the farmers. I worked there as a center director. We contributed a lot to the country’s agricultural betterment.
During those days, we really worked to enhance the country’s agriculture with the research findings. Together with my fellow researchers, I have come up with innumerable problem -solving researches to the country.
Herald: What are the main challenges in the country’s agricultural sector?
Abera (PhD): Well, the main challenges are biotic and abiotic factors. Insect passes, weeds, and diseases are the most biotic factors that are affecting the country’s agriculture. Though several researches have been done, still the problems persist. But a tremendous amount of efforts have been made to avert them. As a result, agricultural products have been enhanced. To date the research institutes are working on it.
When it comes to insect passes, armyworm and the American worms are affecting the maize production in the country. In addition, the disease like yellow rust and the invasive weeds like prosofy, and congress weeds are the major invasive biotics that are affecting wheat production in Arsi and Bale Zones.
So, the research has continued to address the problem but new biotic diseases and challenges are increasing. So, the research methodology has to be redesigned to parry the challenges.
The second factor is abiotic factor. The abiotic factors are mostly ascribable to climate change. Climate change has become one of the great challenges to the world. Especially, it has been affecting developing countries’ agriculture that mainly depended on rain-feed agriculture. Rain-feed agriculture is mostly affected by climate change because the onset and offset of the rain is uncertain and unpredictable. Farmers are producing in this uncertainty environment.
Because of the climate change, the biotic and abiotic factors are really affecting the agricultural sector. These are the areas that we have to really work on it. Global partners are also paying attention on the climate change.
In addition to climate change, the formidable challenges that affect agricultural production is the investment policy of the country. Our investment in agricultural sector is very weak. Yes, the Monarch, Derg, and EPRDF have been giving attention to agriculture. But as of our most economies are dependent on agriculture, a lot is left to be done in the sector. Obviously, government has limited budget and resources. Though we can’t fully address the problems, attempts and efforts have been made by the government.
Still not in aggregation no enhanced investment has been made in the country. Even in the private investment or in the free market economy we embraced, agriculture cannot be handled by the government single alone. The involvement of the private sector is crucial. But the support being extended to the private sector is very minimal. The far-flung corners of the country will be disfranchised from investment in the absence of enough infrastructural facilities. Even though it is going well, it can’t fully addresses the private sectors.
All problems related to marketing, food habit, and saving are also the main challenges that are affecting Ethiopia’s agriculture. Food security is partly the repercussion of these challenges. We are depending on a very few crops. Mostly, we eat Teff, we don’t eat industrial products even if the things are available. We don’t eat all types of vegetables. The culture of our people is what we have to work on.
On the other hand, the increment of population contributes to land degradation. It is the challenge and cause for the low agricultural production in Ethiopia.
Herald: Has the country benefited from the research findings?
Abera (PhD): Yes, I grew up witnessing the changes firsthand. While I was in primary school the agricultural system of this country was an outmoded one. As such production was abysmal. Sad as it may sound, after their backbreaking toil farmers used to get 7 to 12 quintals maize per hectare. But today thanks to the contribution of researches we have managed to get 70 to 80 quintals of maize, 25- 30 quintals of Teff and 42- 60 quintals of wheat per hectares. Production and productivity are increasing tremendously. Yet, food insecurity is still posing a challenge. That is why people are heard voicing complaints that there are no increases in agricultural productions in the country. They argue ‘we are not getting enough crops in the market and the price is ever soaring up.’ There are complaints from consumers but from the research side, a lot has been done and crop yields are increasing. For example in 2002, the national grain production was about 2 million metric ton. Today, it has shot up to 40 million metric ton. Within ten to fifteen years, over ten to twenty folds an increment in grain production will be witnessed in the country.
Previously, the population was twenty five million, today it is about hundred twenty million. So, production and population size mismatches. That is the area on which we have to really work hard. We can witness how researches helped boost production in Arsi, Bale, Sidama, Bacho, Ada’a, and several parts of the country. But the issues of population, saving, and feeding habit have to be addressed so as to solve the problems in the country.
Herald: Some are saying focus should be placed on the agricultural sector so as to develop the country, what is your take on that?
Abera (PhD): Still that is debatable issue. I was reading the Premier’s book entitled Medemer. The book alludes to the fact that the debate still going on. Some intellectuals are saying we have to focus on industrial sector rather that agricultural one, while some are saying to bolster the industry first focus should be placed on the agricultural sector. Both maybe be right but the the reality on the ground mirrors the fact—about 85 percent of employment leans on agriculture, over 78 percent foreign currency comes from the agriculture, the GDP’s contribution from the agriculture is 34 percent, where all raw materials for industries are from agriculture. So, how can we really focus on industry before agriculture?
Agriculture is the source for industry. If you do not have a source for industry, how could you develop industry? In my view, both are very important. We have to transition to the industrial world in the future but still we are in the agriculture world.
Our agriculture is almost in torpor when it comes to production and productivity. We have to upturn this. By investing more in agriculture and making enough raw materials for industries, we can increase industries. We have to make balance in such a way. Industry is very important as much as agriculture is. We have to link them together. One has to cross-fertilize the other. This is how we can spur the development of our country.
Herald: Why we can’t reduce farmer’s population from 85 percent and can’t modernize our agriculture?
Abera (PhD): Since my school days now, I have been hearing that the population of our farmers is 85 percent. But, I doubt that because as I observed the information management in this country is poor. Currently, I am quite sure that the percent is below 80. The fact is that we cannot downsize the farmers’ population without enhancing agricultural production and productivity.
In the past, the country’s population was low and they could easily manage it. Now, one farmer may have more than eight children. This is really making things hard for them even to survive. The population is increasing, while the land is diminishing. Here, we got to change our education policies. We have to train citizens about some other jobs like metal and wood works.
So, if we really work hard, we can really bring down the number and modernize our agriculture.
Herald: What should be done to modernize the agricultural sector?
Abera (PhD): First, we have to modernize our system not only agriculture. We have to apply new methods and approaches in every sector. Even, the way we do and the material we use in conducting research should be changed. After that we can modernize the agricultural sector.
There are two arguments that could be mentioned as reasons. The first group says the country’s land is fragmented and we can’t do mechanized agriculture, while the other one argues farming plots are fragmented. Due to the displaced settlements of our farmers it is really hard to mechanize it.
In this case, we need to be in the middle ground and find a solution. Here, what we don’t have to forget is how 3 to 4 percent of American and European farmers are feeding the whole nation. As their agriculture is mechanized, a person could manage to mechanize 30 to 40 hectares.
Now, what is to be done is embracing, mechanization slowly but surely. Give the land to the private sector to mechanize it. In the country, the culprit posing a challenge is not the land fragmentation but the mind fragmentation. Easily, we can bring whole farmers together and help them to farm jointly. Let us provide them trucker rental centers and get them chemical and fertilizer supplies.
In addition, let us give them technical advices, for example few farmers in Bacho, Arsi, Bale, Illubabor, Welega, and Gojjam are already using the collective mechanism.
Adding to this, the government should subsidize farmers to use selective seeds, fertilizers, and Chemicals. Even, the incentives for farmers in the country are not encouraging. So, we want the sector to grow, this has to be changed.
On the other hand, the agents are not well equipped. Most of them are forced to trek many miles to help farmers. This drudgery of theirs is hard and tedious.
Somehow we are using semi-mechanized farming as compared to some countries. But we have worked hard to enhance it.
Herald: What message do you want to convey?
Abera (PhD): I had a chance to visit many countries all over the world due to my positions as the State Minister, Deputy Director General of Ethiopian Agriculture Research Institute, Director of Melkassa Research Center, among others. When I compare the resource and environment we have, we are much luckiest than many other countries in the world. Even the temperature we have is very awesome, while some countries are struggling to survive.
Here, what we lack are hardworking universities, research institutions and organizations. Committed, they have to work hard if the country is to be well developed.
One challenge is country’s increasing population. Some people say population is a good resource if you manage it well. But if it can’t be managed it is going to be really a big challenge. In addition, we have to maintain our natural resources as to pass it down to the coming generation. We have to economize what we have. Besides our different views in different things we have to know that the country we have is only one. We have to develop patience and tolerance as to work together for the betterment of the country.
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday January 5/2020
BY AMBO MEKASA
