ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and Oromia Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resources disclose that it is using agro chemical inputs, modern technology, mechanization system, and creating market linkage to improve the booming agricultural productivity and ensuring farmers benefit.
Taye Tadesse (PhD), Director of Crop Research at EIAR told The Ethiopian Herald that the main activities of the institution is generating technology, awareness creation to producers, and distribution of technology so as to increasing productivities in Ethiopia.
In this regard, the institution was working hard through technology adaptation and cluster farming. However, Somalia and Gambela region were not able to use the technology adequately due to existence of political instability and as most of them are pastoralists.
According to the Director, cluster farming is playing indispensable role for productivity that the farmers obtaining improved seeds-protect those crops, expose to market opportunities, and the like through working together.
However, desert locust, insects, and bacteria are the serious factors on agricultural sectors in east Africa. But, the protection is mainly taken place through extension sectors. Due to desert locust is continuing the coming June, particularly in irrigation areas then border countries and FAO should play significant role to avoid the locust, it is rather the merely responsibility of Ethiopia, he added.
As part of this, Ethiopian government has taken many activities to avoid desert locust like spraying Chemical into four directions thereby ready to 20,000 hectares of land for wheat production for the coming season. Daba Debele, Head at Oromia Bureau of Agriculture and Natural Resources on his part said that the region has taken many activities for ensuring farmers benefit and maximizing crop production.
According to Daba, the region has achieved 182 million quintals, out of the planned 186 million quintals during the past six month which is 98 percent success. In this regard, persistence of strong research institution, committed leadership that stretches to kebele level, and financial support and loans have played pivotal role to this appreciable outcome.
Furthermore, utilization of effective technology, agrochemical inputs, and agricultural mechanization is helpful to more productiveness in the region. Although, thus technology has playing significant role for better production, it does not mean that the region would not exert full potential. For example, the region has managed to produce 29 quintals of wheat per hectare, but the region would have produced 90 quintals on the same size of land if technology was applied effectively, Daba added.
The Ethiopian Herald, February 22/2020
BY MESERET BEHAILU
