ADDIS ABABA – The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) launched yesterday three national strategies that are said to significantly contribute to Ethiopia’s food system transformation.
Accordingly, the MoA launched a national food safety and quality strategy for primary agricultural products, postharvest management strategy and national nutrition sensitive agri-food system strategy.
Speaking at the occasion, MoA Minister GirmaAmente (PhD) stated that the three strategies would catalyze Ethiopia’s food system roadmap for a healthy and nutritious diet.
The minister further noted that sectoral problems are widespread in Ethiopia’s agriculture that have been negatively impacting health, nutrition, inclusive growth, and the economy at large. In this regard, the strategies would provide a roadmap to make informed decisions, allocate resources, and increase success.
Those strategies are also aligned with Ethiopia’s Homegrown Economic Reform, food system transformation pathway, food and nutrition policy, and the Ten-Year Development Plan.
“Now, we must harness our collective knowledge and employ resourceful strategies and experiences to overcome the pressing challenges and to capitalize on opportunities along the food system value chain.”
According to Girma (PhD), the launching of the three strategies is the opportunity for collaboration and collective efforts and they are instrumental to devise a roadmap to make informed decisions, allocate resources, and increase success.
Similarly, the strategies are at the center of Ethiopia’s commitment to food and nutrition security as well as food sovereignty. In addition, they would have critical contributions to ensure food security, enhance health and improve economic welfare.
Ensuring food security remains a challenge and a pressing economic burden for low and middle-income countries and the strategies would play a significant role in Ethiopia’s aspiration to food sovereignty, he emphasized.
BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN
The Ethiopian Herald April 14/2024
