BY EPHREM ANDARAGCHEW
“Yelemat Tirufat” is a development campaign that focuses on nutritional opulence. The word “Lemat” refers to a traditional food container that denotes a relationship between farmers, pastoralists, and consumers. It is about getting adequate nutritional food. The main objective of the campaign is to accelerate efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency at the family and national levels in Ethiopia.
Reports and studies show that Africa spends about 45 billion USD annually on food imports and this might reach 110 billion USD in 2025 unless intervention measures are taken. Besides, food insecurity, poor maternal and child feeding practices, high incidence of infectious diseases, and limited access to quality nutrition services are among the nutrition problems that are usually observed in developing countries.
Besides, frequent droughts, complicating access to and consumption of nutritious foods is the main problem to food security across the country. Because children, in developing countries, consume the least diverse diets since household food consumption are dominated by cereals and pulses. The consumption of animal-source foods and fruits, and Vitamin A-rich vegetables is rare.
Taking food security and balanced diet problem into account, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has launched the national nutrition scheme called Yelemat Tirufat. The scheme, by drawing lessons and experiences from the best practices in the Green Legacy program, has the plan to ensure national food self-sufficiency. It also plays a vital role in implementing family nutrition by significantly improving milk, eggs, poultry, and honey production across the nation.
Ethiopian Minister of Agriculture Umar Hussain said that Yelemat Tirufat will be implemented in the coming four years and high-yield outcomes will be expected. It has a goal of increasing dairy production, ensuring food security, creating job opportunities, increasing export, and replacing imported animal products with domestic ones.
The program has now been started with milk, eggs, chicken meat, and honey, and will expand it to other products after the evaluation of their results. Besides, the program aims to increase chicken meat from 90 thousand tons to 296 thousand tons, milk production from 6.9 billion liters to 11.7 billion liters, egg production from 3.2 billion to 9.1 billion, and honey production from 147 thousand tons to 296 thousand tons, he explained.
Cognizant of this regional governments and city administrates have started implementing Yelemat Tirufat in their respective localities. Because increasing food production will help to diversify the menus and good access to markets. It also alleviates the malnutrition problems of the country.
Southern State Agriculture Bureau Head Mr. Usman Surur said that to make Yelemat Tirufat a reality, in addition to milk, chicken, meat, and honey production, it is imperative to work on vegetables, fruits, and crops. This will complete the efforts to ensure development.
The region is working to increase the average milk production from 14 to 38 liters by improving animal species. Besides, the region will use its abundant resources to increase chicken, meat, milk, honey, and fish products, he explained.
Gambella state president Mr. Umod Ujulu noted that the region is endowed with perennial rivers, fertile land, and vast animal resources. Nevertheless, the people have not benefited from it because it was not cultivated at the desired level in the previous years. So, he urged the leaders of the region to ensure food security by integrating agricultural development with the new Yelemat Tirufat program.
Addis Ababa City Administration Head of Prosperity Party Office Mr. Melese Alemu noted that yelemat Turufat program has a plan to enrich the food container of the city residence which could be important to create a mentally and physically competent citizen.
He recalled that the city has proven its potential in urban agricultural work that did last year. This year the city administration has planned to benefit the people from the Yelemat Tirufat program by combing the experience and success of green legacy and urban agricultural activities of last year, he explained.
Harari State president Mr. Ordin Badri said that the Yelemat Tirufat program is key not only to ensure food security, but also to realize a balanced food system, stabilize the price of food products, replace imports, and create job opportunities. Accordingly, the program will be implemented in urban and rural areas and emphasized that the program is the center of cooperation between the people and the government.
Indeed, the idea of Yelemat Tirfat is novel and timely to ensure food security and balanced diet issues across the country. It also requires genuine commitment not only from the leaders but also from the people at all levels to coordinate and continue the agricultural development activities of the country. Because Yelemat Tirufat ensures food self-sufficiency which is directly linked to national sovereignty and dignity.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 29 NOVEMBER 2022
