BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
Despite many challenges, Ethiopia’s wheat production is expected to jump 70 percent this year as it seeks to reduce reliance on food imports. While the boost in wheat provides a glimmer of hope, millions are waiting for aid.
Many are sharing that Ethiopia’s effort is promising of late FAO Coordinator in Djibouti Fallou Guèye and Italian Ambassador to Ethiopia Agostino Palese commented on Ethiopia’s effort wheat production.
FAO Coordinator in Djibouti Fallou Guèye said that significantly increased production of wheat in Ethiopia is promising and the country can provide its best practice to other countries in the region. The Italian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Agostino Palese, on his part said that Ethiopia’s immense potential for agricultural productivity will be instrumental in realizing economic integration of the eastern Africa region.
According to FAO Coordinator in Djibouti Fallou Guèye, the eastern Africa region is drought prone due to climate change and has recently witnessed drought, flood, and locust infestation.
Meanwhile, the region which is heavily dependent on imported food staff is affected by the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
In an exclusive interview with ENA, FAO Coordinator in Djibouti Fallou Guèye said that the eastern Africa region faces food insecurity. He lauded Ethiopia’s commitment to scaling up agricultural productivity, especially wheat production.
According to him, Ethiopia can serve as an example for other countries towards ensuring food security.
“Ethiopia has increased its production of wheat significantly despite the constraints the agricultural sector is facing. I think this is very promising and since Ethiopia is in the heart of the horn of Africa and the headquarter of African Union, Ethiopia has the know-how, technology that can help to provide assistance to other countries of the region so that they can may be tackle self-sufficient in other cereals. Wheat is in Ethiopia but other countries can also increase the production of their respective crops such as millet, sorghum, and maize so that the region as a whole can be self-sufficient in cereal production,” Guèye elaborated.
The Coordinator stated that the government of Ethiopia has given due emphasis to boost productivity by introducing technology, improving human capacity, and investing.
“Other countries can learn a lot from Ethiopia because I know that Ethiopia has established an agency for transforming agriculture, which is providing decisive support that the farmers in Ethiopia can produce very efficiently, in a sustainable manner. I think other countries of the region can learn a lot from the experience of Ethiopia in putting in place the infrastructure in terms of institutions, human capacity and all the investment that is required,” he emphasized.
Furthermore, Guèye pointed out that there is need to also focus on utilizing the untapped potential of livestock and fishery.
Italian Ambassador to Ethiopia, Agostino Palese for his part noted that Ethiopia has various untapped potentials, pledging that his country will strengthen supporting Ethiopia to utilize the sector, especially by providing technologies.
“I think Ethiopia has enormous potential in green area and the countryside. This is why Italy is supporting with different projects in the agro-industry project via transferring technology and to help develop this kind of job creation, and that could help Ethiopia to grow from the agricultural point of view. Today, it is rice, wheat, and vegetables all in high standard level even coffee. So it is very important you continue on this plan and we will continue to support Ethiopia on these matters,” the Ambassador elaborated.
He also lauded Ethiopia’s success in availing affordable energy to industrial projects in a very short time stressing the need for the country to continue on this pattern as there is conducive foundation in this regard.
With all the dams that Ethiopia has built in a very short period of time, and with low cost energy, it can develop agro-industrial project with other partners like Italy, he added.
According to him, Ethiopia can even be exporter of rice, vegetables, and fruit instead of importing like wheat like it was once.
“So now you can try to export as well in the region and nearby of Ethiopia; it is very good for you and I think it could help in job creation and many sectors. What we are working is to transfer technology and know-how” the ambassador stated.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Ambassador Palese along with top government officials visited the various development activities in Jimma zone.
The visit includes a 10-hectare intercropping farm which is comprised of fruit and vegetable production, fish farming, and beekeeping.
They have also visited the Shebe Sono Woreda part of the Kishe cluster rice production that spans three woredas in Jimma Zone.
According to local media, the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) is in the process of starting to facilitate the trading of wheat on its floor. The crop will return to the Exchange’s trading floor after 15 years of break, if the decision is approved by the regulators at the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration.
It is a proposal that has come to the surface at a time when the country is gearing up to export wheat to neighboring countries, including Kenya, which is a net importer of the commodity. Officials expect a surplus of wheat this year, as the grand initiative to produce the crop throughout the country is close to bearing fruit.
Regional states are expecting to harvest over 100 million quintals of wheat for the ending coming harvest season and have been given instruction to produce over 52 million quintals for the coming harvest on a national level. The production for the next harvest season will be 40 million quintals, an increase from last year.
Officials expect to save USD 600 million annually if they succeed in fully substituting wheat this year. This year’s total production will exceed the 107 million quintal yearly demand, with the excess to be exported. In light of this, the ECX has already defined a grade for each variety of wheat that is eligible for export.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 28 OCTOBER 2022
