ETHIOPIA – Ethiopia plans to add 600,000 hectares of land to its animal feed output, a project expected to significantly improve the livelihood of the pastoralist community in the Borana Zone area.

Tariku Aschenaki, Deputy Head of the Borana Zone Agriculture Bureau, revealed that the zone plans to develop forage on 600,000 hectares, aiming to produce 1.2 million bales.

This initiative is part of a broader program launched in four zones of Oromia, including Borana, aimed at improving grasslands and pastures.

Currently, forage development is active in five woredas within the zone, and a forage bank has been established with 43,000 bales stored for emergency use.

Getu Gemechu, Head of the Oromia Agriculture Bureau, along with other officials, recently visited the animal feed development project in Elwoye Woreda, Borana Zone, where more than 63,000 hectares of land have been dedicated to forage production.

Over the past three years, this program has covered more than 106,000 hectares with forage across the region.

In response to last year’s drought, the Oromia Regional Government has further expanded forage development to encompass a total of 750,000 hectares.

The goal, according to Tolera Debela, Deputy Head of the Oromia Agriculture Bureau, is to cultivate fodder crops on 7 million hectares of land and supply 7,000 superior fodder seeds throughout the plains and midlands of Oromia.

“We are developing forage in a total area of seven million hectares by providing 7,000 improved forage seeds in mid-altitude and lowlands across Oromia,” Tolera emphasized.

Following a media tour of Western Oromia, Eshetu Sirnessa, Deputy Head of the Oromia Communication Bureau, reaffirmed the regional government’s commitment to ensuring peace and fostering development.

He highlighted that three zones in the Wollega region, as well as four zones in Guji and Borana, which previously faced instability, are now actively engaged in various economic development initiatives.

“If our community continues to strengthen its efforts to accelerate development, we will soon be able to realize our goals of building a resilient community,” Eshetu added.

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