BY MENGESHA AMARE
Many countries of the world have reached their destination—fully independent, self-sufficient and beyond as well as eternal sovereign—via bringing about real institutional as well as attitudinal change among fellow citizens.
China, Japan, Korea and some others can be the level where they are now by being proud of what their respective companies and industries produce and using their own products. Change and progress could never be garnered out of the blue as it highly requires determination and firm commitment to build a nation by developing sense of belongingness, nurturing a work loving spirits and buttressing the culture of using locally produced goods and services.
Yes, using what Ethiopia does have is one of the most avenues to push the country to the next level of success. As the country has commenced exporting wheat, it must also raise awareness of its citizens to widely use what is branded ‘Made in Ethiopia.’
“We are visionary ones, confidently speak about what we have aspired and virtually translate the promise we made into practical actions, and this is the manifestation of being people of our words,” is what Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) elucidated recently when he officially commenced wheat export at Bale Zone of Oromia State.
This initiative is going to be well expanded and practically done through an independent emblem to support others in need. This bold move would also help the country transform itself from being aid recipient to the state of wheat export. What a marvelous step it is!
The Premier once stated that not only is Ethiopia determined to stop importing wheat by declaring self-sufficiency in wheat production but it has also developed strong commitment to export the product with a view to securing great deal of foreign currency. What he pledged earlier has now been made real, and the agriculture sector has helped the nation reap remarkable achievements.
Yes, self-sufficiency is on the pipeline and the journey it has started roaming in Africa will be expanded to other continents of the planet. The initiative commenced using wheat will be triplicated to other crops of the country after quenching local consumption, of course.
Not only does wheat export beginning help Ethiopia meet food security but it is also a means to well foster trade integration of the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia has pioneered the export, and the best practices learnt from such a promising step would be lengthened to other counties of the continent in the years to come thereby pushing Africa to the level of standing on its own two feet. Thanks to the firm commitment of the incumbent, Ethiopia continues making history. The agriculture sector has started bearing scrumptious fruits. Yes, history is being made, and notable changes have been recorded in the country.
The noteworthy export move has portrayed country’s confidence to attach due emphasis to the agriculture sector. No matter how trying circumstances have so far been, and no matter what propaganda has been wheezed against the country, Ethiopia has been trekking on the right track to declare food self-sufficiency thereby successfully defeating poverty.
Despite the misinformation and disinformation disseminated to blackmail Ethiopia’s image so far, the real picture of the country has now been vividly revealed. The beginning of wheat export is a clear manifestation of its due attention to the agriculture sector and factual determination to come out of the coil of poverty its finds itself in.
The bold move Ethiopia has now employing has to be triplicated on other sectors and products too. This initiation would be of paramount importance in reinvigorating Horn trade integration, consolidating firm ties between/among neighboring countries to help assist one another, among others.
The concept of ‘the greater the emphasis given to the sector the higher benefits it gives in return’ into account, the government has been stimulating economic growth through applying a range of agricultural practices such as irrigation. Facilitating market access to products, potential productivity gains through increased import substitution and export promotion is also being well underway.
As learnt from Prime Minister Abiy, all efforts to tarnish Ethiopia’s image have been disproved as the nation has seized unwavering avenue for growth and prosperity. As Ethiopia has always been a pioneer and east African icon for a number of issues, other countries of the continent had better follow its footstep and further solidify their relations with the former to grow together.
Needless to state, Ethiopia’s wheat export entails two fundamental essences: it portrays Ethiopia’s capacity to do anything it would love if synergy has been capitalized on and the country would be transformed into an affluent one from aid dependent syndrome. The world which has labeled Ethiopia as a poor nation all the time dependent on aid would absolutely change their mind and give it the value the country deserves with all due respect.
The second cardinal strategy that has to be well hammered and intensified is utilizing the products of Ethiopia’s industrial parks and other relevant local companies, industries and factories. The mien ‘Made in Ethiopia’ needs to be equated to what other developed countries have possessed as an emblem such as ‘Made in USA,’ ‘Made in Japan’ etc.
The Ethiopian Herald had a stay with Mohammed Sultan, a business consultant working in a private firm graduated from Civil Service University in business management. He said, “Since Ethiopia has a number of industrial parks which are producing tremendous quality items, goods as well as service keeping the required standard, we all have to use local products. Setting our blind judgment and mere assumption without practically testing things aside, citizens must closely taste the aroma of being proud of own asset and invaluable national possessions.”
As to Mohammed, many countries of the world for example Denmark, Japan, USA, China and the likes have brought about change they have long aspired through using the products of their own factories, industries and manufacturing plants.
He further stated that as attitudinal change matters the most and opens all doors to come up with the transformation Ethiopia has long been dreaming, a lot has to be done in raising public awareness about the irreplaceable significance of utilizing products and services available at home.
Citizens at all walks of life have to be well informed about using what is produced in Ethiopia. The wrongly entrenched culture almost all Ethiopians have developed, buying a highly costly goods and commodities is having quality items and entertaining foreign articles is equivalent with possessing strong, durable and quality things, has to be dramatically altered and citizens have to start utilizing locally produced goods, items, particles and even services.
He said, “Who said all imported goods and items are all the time quality ones. If we start using locally produced items, goods and services, we would incredibly shift our attitude. However, we have not had so far the culture of using local products. This fashion has to be well reformed. As to me ‘Made in Ethiopia,’ is really viable means to bring about real social, economic and even political transformation. Surprisingly, there are local products which are much stronger and quality than imported items.”
He further said that the country has now seized the right direction, and this move needs to be well reinvigorated and practically exercised. The combination of Ethio-Aid and Made in Ethiopia utilization helps the country lay itself on an unwavering basis.
The culture of utilizing nation-born products and commenting on their level and quality, if there are flaws, has to be consolidated and well exercised at national level as this approach would unequivocally help the nation bring about real change in all aspects. Since dramatic transformation is knocking Ethiopia’s door, citizens of all walks of live have to nurture it well through working hard and using locally generated products!
The Ethiopian Herald Feburary28/2023
