ADDIS ABABA- Tough a number of changes have been witnessed in the effort to introduce mechanized farming system in Ethiopia., more researches on the system needs to be done to bring lasting successes to the sector in the near future.
This remark was made by Dr Melese Temesgen during the recent Ethiopian Academy of Science discussion forum.
As to him, the country’s agricultural challenges have stem from policy problem.
Regarding agriculture mechanization, he noted that it is an optional utilization of materials that operates by means of motor, human power of animal, depending on the enabling circumstances in order to simplify the works of farming and to get more results.
The practice alternatively uses motorized farming materials, animals and man power as such choices are determined by the condition of the natural environment including soil types of that specific places,he added.
He,therefore, said the major problem with Ethiopia’s Agricultural Mechanization Policy is that it stands with the goal of employing too much power on land.
He also argued that there should be no such argument, rather than applying what best fits to Ethiopia’s condition on the ground.
“Ethiopia is blessed with cattle resources, which other countries especially Europe and Americans lacked due to their climate condition, therefore effectively utilizing these resource is currently preferable for Ethiopia, for so many reasons. The problem for our agricultural bottlenecks can’t be solved only by replacing animal power with motorized farming system.”
Citing some researches made in Ethiopia, he said farmers believed that they will get more products when they use cattle than tractors, , researchers need to study why this could happen. Instead farmers are in need of post farming machineries like combiners, he stressed.
He urged researchers and professionals in the field of agriculture to come up with more researches on the directions of the mechanization policy.
It is to recalled that it has been 60 years since Ethiopia introduced mechanization in Ethiopia.
December 18/2018
BY YOSEF KETEMA
