Ethiopia’s promising agriculture dev’t a benchmark to HoA: FAO Coordinator

On Oct 25, 2022 204

Addis Ababa, October 25, 2022 (FBC) – Agricultural development results being registered in Ethiopia are promising and benchmark to the rest of the Horn of African region, said Fallou Guèye, FAO coordinator in Djibouti.

Drought, floods and desert locusts have become challenges to food security in the Horn of African region.

The region has also faced various local and international conflicts, internal political crises, and the increase in the price of agricultural products.

Fallou Guèye, Coordinator of World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Djibouti mentioned that the Horn of Africa region has a serious food security problem.

However, the government of Ethiopia has realized the challenge and showed sheer determinationn on agricultural development activity to ensure food security, stated Fallou.

He said that Ethiopia has launched climate change resillient crop and livestock production reform.

Hence, Ethiopia, as a center of the region and Africa at large, has started a promising journey in wheat and other agricultural products, the FAO Coordinator said.

Fallou added that other countries in the region should resemble Ethiopia’s success and focus on sorghum, barley, corn and other grain crops to ensure food self-sufficiency.

He said that Ethiopian government has succeeded at the sector by giving special attention to agricultural technology, large manpower and the extensive investment.

The changes the country started by supporting farmers at the institutional level, especially on agricultural mechanization, is a great lesson for the countries of the region, Fallou further added.

The FAO Coordinator also discussed that appropriate attention should be given to the wide potential of livestock and fish resources in the Horn of African region.

In particular, he indicated that additional income should be generated by strengthening the export of livestock to the Middle East and other countries by implementing healthy livestock development, as per ENA.