ETHIOPIA – 800, 000 hectares have already been covered with wheat seeds as part of the current Ethiopian fiscal year summer irrigation development activities according to Minister of Agriculture, Girma Amenti.
The minister disclosed this at a meeting held to review the government’s three-month performance in the presence of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
This comes at a time when the country targets to cultivate 3 million hectares during this year’s summer wheat cultivation.
On the occasion, Minister Girma Amenti stated the nation also targets 117 million quintals of wheat during this season.
Ethiopia sets new target for irrigable land to 10 million hectares
On her part, Aisha Mohammed, the Minister of Lowlands and Irrigation, said that the ministry has identified 10 million hectares of land that could be developed through irrigation.
According to her, the farmland being developed through irrigation in the country has increased by three-fold over the past four years.
“Four years ago, the farmland developed through irrigation was only 500,000 hectares. But now it has reached about 1.5 million hectares that created an opportunity to cultivate three times a year.”
The Minister also mentioned the efforts being exerted this fiscal year to include additional 400, 000 hectares of land suitable for irrigation.
Irrigation agricultural schemes appropriate for investment and smallholder farmers have been identified, Aisha said, noting that works are also being underway jointly with the Ethiopian Investment Commission to engage investors in large agricultural development activities by making available irrigation dams located in lowland areas.
According to Minister Girma Amenti, the purchase of more than 19 million quintals of fertilizer has been underway out of the 23 million quintals required for the upcoming farming season.
He said the purchase of 13 million quintals has already been made indicating that some 730,000 quintals have arrived in the country.
He has also mentioned about the reform measures taken in the fertilizer purchase process which has brought significant results as the nation was able to save 20 billion Birr this year compared to the purchase made last year.
According to the Minister, during the previous Ethiopian fiscal year 13.9 million quintals of fertilizer were purchased with a cost of 1.59 billion USD. However, 19.4 million quintals of fertilizer were purchased with 930 million USD in the current fiscal year.
For all the latest grains industry news from Africa, the Middle East, and the World, subscribe to our weekly NEWSLETTERS, follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
