Myriads of duties are on the table of the recently established government of Ethiopia that includes transforming the nation’s economy in which food self sufficiency takes the upper hand. Nowadays, citizens are struggling hard to provide daily bread for their families as the price of basic food items is skyrocketing. The imbalance between demand and supply coupled with the economic sabotages committed by greedy traders put the situation from the frying pan to the fire, as it is expressed by many people.
Recognizing how severe the issue is, the newly established government has taken among its prior agenda improving provision of basic food items, Sahlework Zewdie, President of FDRE stated on her opening speech to the joint session of the House of Federation (HoF) and House of People’s Representatives (HPR) recently.
The president related in her speech that various economic sectors need close attention of the democratically elected new government to be undertaken during this budget year and the five years of its reign as well. Transforming the out dated and rain dependent agriculture but the major sector in providing food items is among the prior duties of the government.
Invigorating the already begun lowland farming via irrigation is essential in this regard. According to experts of the sector, the results gained so far especially in low land irrigation wheat production are promising so that applying the experience in a wider range supported by mechanization through wise use of land and water will not be only a matter of food self sufficiency but a way out of poverty.
Different researches indicate that it is estimated the total irrigable land potential in Ethiopia extends from 30 to 70 Million hectares, but only about a third of that is currently cultivated approximately 15 Million hectare, with current irrigation schemes covering about 640,000 hectare across the country.
As of the data gained from the Central Statistical Agency (CSA), Ethiopia is the largest wheat producer in Sub-Saharan Africa with a record harvest of 4.6 million metric tons registered in 2017 alone. However, during the same year, the country imported 1.5 million tons of wheat, corresponding to a value of around USD 600 million. Further increases in demand for wheat and other cereals due to population growth and dietary changes are projected to put additional pressure on the national treasury making the economy vulnerable to cereal price volatility in world markets. These drivers have put wheat self-sufficiency high on the agenda with a new initiative of the government targeting self-sufficiency in wheat production in the coming few years.
Currently, Ethiopia is transitioning from a rain-fed agricultural system to an irrigation reliable agricultural system as per the demand of farmers. The farmers have noticed a visible production and productivity increment while practicing irrigation. Therefore, it is important to allocate more budget to develop wide-scheme irrigation infrastructure networks. Researches in the area indicate that it is possible to irrigate over 10.1 million hectares of land in Ethiopia. This is not to mention the country’s favourable climate and fertile land. Thus, the efforts in expanding irrigation infrastructure ought to continue. Besides, the private sector needs to be encouraged more to involve in this lucrative area. Moreover, the wheat clusters developments in different parts of the country have been the focus areas of the government for the past three years.
Abundant water resources, climate and land suitability, priorities given to the irrigation sector, indigenous knowledge of the farmers to irrigation, availability of extensive labor force, availability of suitable lands for irrigation developments especially at arid areas of the country, among others are the major opportunities to practice massive irrigation activities in Ethiopia.
On the contrary, shortage of basic technical knowledge on irrigation pumps, drip irrigation system, sprinkler irrigations, surface and spate irrigation inadequate knowledge on improved and diversified irrigation agronomic practices as well as inadequate community involvement are challenging the country’s endeavors to generate more from the irrigation sector.
Experts say that Ethiopia’s vision of wheat self-sufficiency in the coming two years will be achieved in different ways. This is done by increasing rainfall wheat production and irrigating wheat production in the lowlands in favorable agricultural ecosystems. Currently, wheat is grown in Ethiopia with a total of 1.94 million hectares. Due to the expansion of wheat irrigation in the lowlands of Ethiopia, it is estimated that 350,000 to 500,000 hectares of wheat irrigation development is being undertaken.
Accordingly, prioritizing wheat development and alleviating the current challenges will enable the country to become self-sufficient in wheat development, seedling technology development and seed quality as well as mass production.
The Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) has been conducting a national wheat research to boost wheat production and productivity in the country.
Director of the Crop Research Directorate Dr. Taye Tadesse said that increasing wheat production plays an indispensable role in ensuring the country’s food self-sufficiency and promoting export.
According to him, wheat research has faced many challenges but has had great success too. Due attention is being given to the wheat development by both the government and stakeholders. Ethiopia has great potential to grow wheat in the sub-Saharan African countries in terms of production and productivity, supply and consumption.
Currently, the nation is transitioning from a rain-fed agricultural system to irrigation system due to farmers increasing demands. The farmers have noticed a visible increment of production and productivity while practicing irrigation. A large number of Ethiopian farmers have become self-reliant and are able to supply their productions to the market after applying irrigation.
Experts in the area recommended that improving the varieties and breeding capacity, and bringing innovative research methods, helping the farmers adapt to climate change by recommending appropriate wheat varieties, applying land preparation techniques, crop protection practices and crop nutrient management strategies should be among the major focus areas of the government and stakeholders to beef up low-land wheat production.
While there is significant potential to increase irrigation through various surface water schemes, there are many challenges to realize this potential. Most of the country’s surface water potential is located in the low-land pastoralist areas due to land availability and flow concentration in these low land areas. But realizing irrigation potential in pastoralist areas requires innovations, as it poses significant changes related to pastoralists’ traditional lifestyles such as sedentary farming, voluntary settlement from degraded highlands, and small- to large-scale commercial agriculture. Irrigation in Ethiopia is considered as a basic strategy to alleviate poverty and hence food security. It is useful to transform the rain-fed agricultural system which depends on rainfall into the combined rain-fed and irrigation agricultural system. This is believed to be the most prominent way of sustainable development in the country.
The ongoing low-land irrigation helps to increase food production in arid and semi-arid regions, enhances food production, promotes economic growth and sustainable development, create employment opportunities, and improve living conditions of small-scale farmers. As a result, undertaking massive irrigation contributes to poverty reduction and protects the environment from degradation and pollution. Furthermore, it increases subsurface water levels and recharges groundwater. As a result, small, medium and large scale irrigation infrastructure needs to be developed in the country. This helps to produce export commodities that would earn foreign exchanges and provides raw materials to the local industries. Broad wheat irrigation in the lowland areas sought to be the key areas of new government.
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD OCTOBER 6/2021
