BY BACHA ZEWDIE
Recently, field visitors from the agriculture sector from different zones of Oromia region attended Shaki Sharara kebele of Hitosa district, which is known for its wheat production in Arsi zone, and Feysa Buta was one of the farmers who shared his experience. This farmer, apart from being a member of the Buchi Habe Badosa Kebele Cooperative, also runs his farm in a cluster. The farmer is responsible for the cluster. Since he is a dedicated farmer, the name of the cluster consisting of many farmers has come to be known as “Feysa Cluster”.
The cluster is also visited by many guests. Farmers in Faysa cluster produce wheat on 506 hectares of land. Out of this, 100 hectares have been used for seed propagation.
Feysa said that begging all the time is not only disgraceful but also shameful. When he explained why he said it is shameful and scandalous, he claimed that it is because Ethiopia does not lack anything. He mentioned that the country is blessed with a large land that grows any type of crop and water. It can detach from the previous production method via paying any sacrifice and should be improved.
He said; “We must not only be self-sufficient in food, but now we must work hard to achieve the plan of supplying wheat to the foreign market, which was started by the honorable Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed. We will exhaust all our capabilities to implement this. Without exaggeration, the farmers in our area said that they dare to say ‘we are enclosed in the spirit of ‘possible’.”
130 farmers are embraced by the cluster. Feysa said that they were given the opportunity to be the first to export wheat. He indicated that they are committed to making this first opportunity work properly.
As to him, Ethiopia is the owner of untapped resource. It also has a large number of young people. Although agriculture is a sector that has mostly been left to the farmers previously, now both the educated and the uneducated must engage into the work.
Mentioning that some have given low interpretation to the importance of agriculture, he said if they devote their full potential to agriculture and work hard, they can be no less effective than any other sector. He requested to buy combine and tractor. He does this not because he has any other income, but because he can work hard in the agricultural sector. Feysa pointed out that it is definitely possible to change agriculture. If they can produce it diligently, there is no reason why they should not export it. In fact, he said that it is the easiest thing to do in the foreign market.
Feysa said that Hitosa Union works with them from providing seeds to taking over agricultural products, adding he said that Hetosa Union is their collective result. He also mentioned that a private company that imports agricultural inputs called Chemtex is a company that works with them. If an organization like this can provide better things for everyone’s work, Ethiopia can be lifted out of poverty in a short period of time. If this year’s product is successful as started, they will not only increase the product to be shipped next year, but they will be competitive. Nothing will stop them from doing this He said.
Zerihun Mekonnen, the deputy head of the Hitosa District Agriculture Office, said that Hitosa District was known for its wheat production in the past and pointed out that the fact that the cluster a widely cultivated in the district makes this year’s special. He explained that more than 95 percent of the total land in the district is cultivated in cluster scheme using mechanization.
As to him, the district is working by collecting 1, 390 clusters together. Out of 26 thousand hectares of land, 24 thousand hectares are planted in cluster. Out of that, 15, 952 hectares are covered with wheat seeds. In this way, the largest share is wheat. Wheat is being produced on a large scale, especially in the highlands and the lowlands.
Administrator of Hitosa District, Moha mmad Husein, on his part said that the issue that has been discussed by the Prime Minister has been put into practice through hard work.
According to him, Ethiopia is not a war-torn country, as is rumored in the foreign media. It should not only be brought to an end in terms of enforcing the law, but it should also be told that it is working properly in terms of development and showing this by producing wheat in all seasons. The mass media that claim to be big should consider whether it is a developing country or stagnated on its poverty.
Muzein Aman, a crop development expert of Arsi Zone, mentioned that wheat covers the vast fields of the zone, and this year, out of 656,000 hectares of land covered by harvest crops, 281,000 hectares are covered with wheat. He said that one of the reasons why the wheat, which is ready for harvesting after one month, has maintained its standard is because of the proper use of herbicides.
According to the expert, the government is paying great attention to the agriculture sector. Adding he said that they expect a total production of nearly eleven million quintals from wheat alone of which 60 percent of this is for local consumption and 40 percent for domestic and foreign markets. Out of this, one million quintals of wheat is covered from Arsi zone alone that has the potential to cover the largest share of the country’s planned export market, he explained.
The Ethiopian Herald October 30/2022
