One of the sectors COVID-19 has highly entangled these days is unquestionably agriculture. It is exceptional in Ethiopia for the vast majority of country’s population makes a living out of it. The Council of Ministers recently convened and elucidated issues from different angles with a special focus on how to rescue agriculture as the farming season is approaching and the impact the Corona virus has posed on the country is rising. Taking the opportunity, the Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahimed publicly and clearly accentuated his sense of belongingness to his beloved fellow citizens and his country. He was heard of saying in front of parliamentarians and told them in black and white saying, “Even if no one is in charge of tilling the land, you’ll (the leadership) discharge it; be more assiduous than ever.” “No one will die due to lack of bread or tomato, too.”
The utterance was really sympathetic and touching and decisive. As deduced from the sayings of the premier, if the current situation keeps at the same rate through the coming summer and even to the extent that if the farming community fails to plow the land, all the government leadership will cultivate the arable area in their respective dwellings. He was also dare to say that during this tough time, it is not a subject of possessing the land; but not leaving it untilled should be their prime target. Everywhere in the country that is potentially cultivated needs to be covered with crops and made productive enough. No potential land will be left unfarmed or dysfunctional due to the Corona pandemic.
Is there anything more satisfying than this one—wholeheartedly think about others!? To the surprise of everyone, at the time of having a serious confrontation with the world enemy and when things have become a matter of life and death, nurturing the top source of livelihood is simply a blessing.
At this challenging and distressing time Ethiopia has left no stone unturned to save the lives of its citizens. As cited time and again, of the total population Ethiopia houses, the vast majority, close to 85 per cent, resides in the rural part of the country predominantly entertaining agriculture. Not only does the livelihood of the rural dwellers but that of all urbanites exceedingly depend on this rewarding sector. Recognizing this fact, the government has devised a mechanism to beef up the agriculture sector.
Irrigation is one of the mechanisms employed to help assist the farming community to produce crops. Strengthening the sector is, of course, a matter of pulling Ethiopians from the web of snags. Such an optimistic approach has primarily targeted at the arable and potentially irrigable lands found in Afar, Benishangul Gumuz, Gambella, Somali and Afar.
Ethiopia can draw important lessons from a number of countries like India about how one can be successful in running irrigation as the latter has been reaping the fruits of hard work in irrigation.
In Ethiopia so far the land that should have been cultivated and turned into a productive asset is left infertile. Plus to that, there are a number of rivers and tributaries that could potentially be used effectively. No doubt, the effort of making the budding land valuable calls for the coordinated effort of the federal and states to properly valve and get the respective segments of the society benefited. The pandemic should be seen off without throwing devastating shoots and causing more severe jeopardy if we all move in a synchronized manner.
Intensifying the agricultural development is the issue that needs to be given priority, indeed.
However, a few Ethiopians especially members of some political parties have set this issue aside. They are always thinking of one thing: power. Why for? Life first! Health first! Sorry to say this, sometimes, as Ethiopians, what we are talking about and what we have practically done are diametrically different. Come on! It is better to bridge this wide gap to have a prosperous nation and civilized citizenry. There is no other time for everyone to sieve the chaff from the seed. The belly of the grave is open wide awaiting lives. Who knows when their turn is!? Surprisingly, these segments of the society have given priority to run towards power by their own right—no people in frontage and hind. It is a hard fact even a layman can witness everywhere and anytime.
Believe or not, there is country because of its people. Life continues its rotation with people and their reproduction. Life first! Which one should be prioritized, citizens’ life or power strife? Let’s all look into ourselves—we do have one country and one people. Cooperation, thinking one another and sharing what we have with the needy level this and get it dried for good.
By hook or by crook, at this malicious time our prime agendum should be saving peoples’ life through ensuring food security and health surety. As learnt from the Prime Minister, if we use our resources such as water properly, no one can be exposed to hunger and famine. One of the main means to do so can be employing irrigation scheme. Yes, if we well tap our water resources, we can even benefit other countries beyond quenching our demand. Even we can substitute import within the shortest time possible.
The other thing to which the government and its people attach due emphasis today is urban gardening. It can widely be run in cities, states and other suitable parts of the nation and many have been, are, benefiting from it well. Hence, it is time to further consolidate the effort geared towards intensifying urban gardening in particular and the agricultural development in general. The good thing is the government has exerted unreserved effort towards ensuring food security, withstanding the Corona pandemic and locust invasion by devising a multitude of ways. This move requires the amalgamated efforts of all. Working together and shouldering a common goal help penetrate the dreadful dark day—the era of Corona.
The Ethiopian Herald May 19/2020
BY MENGESHA AMARE
