While addressing MP’s questions in Ethiopian Parliament Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed had recently stated that irrigated agriculture is his government primary focus to alleviate youth unemployment and to improve food security. The Writer argues for a country like Ethiopia with vast amount of water resources and irrigable land this is a right strategic approach.
In Ethiopian Context government, donors and NGOs are investing in developing irrigation systems. As a result, irrigation is developing rapidly. However, its contribution to the national economy is not significant when compared to rain-feed agriculture.
In Ethiopia, the cost of development and operation, cost of irrigation equipment, in adequate capacity and community involvement, irrigation input costs and lack of comprehensive understanding of water resources are among the major constraints of irrigation, whereas availability of abundant water resources, climate and land suitability, the reliability of water resources, in expensive labor, adaption of promising approach and technologies are some of several opportunities to expand irrigated agriculture.
Agriculture is the mainstay of many economies. All over the world, the development of an enduring economy goes hand in hand with agricultural development. Agriculture is considered a catalyst for the overall development of any nation. It is thus a critical sector that drives the economic development and industrialization of the developing
nation, and also holds the ace for reducing unemployment.
Thus, its’ development is critically important for ensuring food and nutritional security, income and employment. In Ethiopia agriculture accounts about 45% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), creates 85% of employment and 65% of total exports (MOFED, 2010). This shows still agriculture is the back bone of Ethiopian economy and this shall be assisted by irrigation.
An irrigation commission has recently been established under the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy, demonstrating government’s commitment for irrigated agriculture.
Ethiopia has great potential of irrigation, which is estimated as 5.3 million hectar of land which 3.7 million hectar can be developed using surface water sources and 1.6 million hectares using ground water and rain water management (MOFED, 2010). Worldwide now days there is a general consensus that improving agriculture and enhancing agricultural productivity will remain a key strategy for rural poverty alleviation in most developing countries. There is no doubt this is also the understanding of Ethiopian government.
In Ethiopia, agriculture is primarily rain fed; it depends on erratic and often in sufficient rainfall. As a result, there are frequent failures of crop production (Abonesh et al; 2006; Kalkidan et al; 2016). Therefore, irrigation agriculture has the potential to stabilize crop production and mitigate the negative impacts of variable or insufficient rainfall. The development of irrigation and agricultural water management holds significant potential to improve productivity and reduce vulnerability to climatic volatility in the country (MOFED, 2010; Kalkidan et al., 2017). In addition, irrigation agriculture plays essential role in the performance of agriculture which increases income growth and income growth is essential for economic growth (Hussain ad Biltomen, 2001).
Youth unemployment is a socio – economic problem challenging Ethiopia. An efficient agricultural sector would in no doubt enable a country to generate employment opportunities, the dynamism of the agricultural sector is undoubtedly a spring board for youth empowerment towards a sustainable socio – economic development of Ethiopia.
Ethiopia is a nation of about a hundred million people, predominantly youths. This overwhelming population has caused supply to outstrip demand especially in the formal employment sector. Unemployment undoubtedly the most challenging socio – economic problem confronting the country. It is obvious that the enormous youth population cannot be absorbed into the formal employment sector in urban areas. Consequently, urgent attention is required consistent with a remedy for youth unemployment. This is particularly of great priority, given that persistence in youth unemployment may pose a threat to the social structure and safety of nations, as a consequent action of disenfranchised youths.
Social unrest, conflicts, poverty and urban migration are usually causal factors of political and economic instability. These factors are predominantly by-products of high level youth unemployment. Sustainable development therefore can only be achieved if youths are gainfully and meaningfully employed. Youths gainfully employed are a driving force for industrialization and development of nations. The energy and creativity of youths is pivotal to nation building. Consequently, unless youths are empowered particularly economically, the goals of political and economic stability and ultimately sustainable development will be unachievable.
It is generally acknowledged that agricultural development supported by irrigation contributes so much in reducing unemployment and in boosting economic growth of any nation. Since Ethiopia has an enormous agricultural potential, successive governments have pursued several policy frameworks and programmes to turn the fortunes of the nation’s agricultural sector into sustainable source of national growth and development.
The Food and Agricultural Organi- zation (FAO) working paper 39 indicates that irrigation development is not free from controversies.
It has been argued that irrigation development in various regions has displaced marginal and poor farmers and made them landless laborers and ultimately driven them to become urban dwellers (Chambers 1988).
Likewise, the social disruption of rural poor due to large-scale irrigation systems and reservoir construction, payment of inadequate compensation to displaced persons and increased incidence of waterborne diseases in irrigation commands are other potential negative impacts associated with irrigation development. Increased waterlogging and soil salinity buildup due to poor provision of drainage facilities in irrigation systems are also often cited as negative environmental impacts of irrigation.
However, the positive impacts of irrigation infrastructures could far outweigh some of these negative impacts, which can be potentially minimized or can be duly compensated through improved planning and management of irrigation systems.
Ethiopia currently undergoing a major reform both politically and economically. This unparalleled reform provides hope to many young people of the country. As has been witnessed, the government has been widening the political space and unveiled plans to increase private business role in the economy.
Apart from these ground-breaking reform measures, the recent focus by the Ethiopian government to develop irrigated agricultural targeted development towards a sustainable economy to alleviate youth unemployment.
Most developed nations of the world adopt agricultural policies consistent with the goals of food production and sufficiency, employment opportunities, poverty reduction, and economic growth. Hence, Ethiopian government focus on irrigated agriculture is generally believed to be a panacea for sustainable development of Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Herald February 14 /2019
BY SHIMELES MULUGETA
(Irrigation Engineer)
