Over seven million hectares sown ahead of the meher season, as government eyes a record 659 million quintals of crops amid push for food sovereignty.
KEYIR NEWS - With over seven million hectares already sown during the current meher season, Ethiopia is accelerating efforts to fend off food insecurity and deliver on its food sovereignty pledge, Agriculture Minister Girma Amente has announced. The push is part of a broader campaign to cover 21 million hectares with diverse crops, as the government leans heavily on mechanised farming, cluster cultivation, and improved access to inputs.
According to the Minister, Ethiopia has cultivated over seven million hectares of farmland thus far in the ongoing meher (main rainy) season, signalling a renewed drive by the federal government to secure food sovereignty and stave off chronic hunger.
The Minister told state media that the sowing season is progressing at pace, with efforts underway to cover a total of 21 million hectares with a variety of crops tailored to local ecologies. Major cereals such as teff, wheat, barley, and maize have already been planted across significant tracts of land.
“Through timely delivery of fertilisers, select seeds, and critical inputs, we’re ensuring that farmers are better equipped this season,” Girma said, noting a marked uptake in mechanised and cluster-based farming methods. Over six million hectares have been cultivated using machinery, one million more than last year, while 13 million hectares fall under cluster farming initiatives.
The meher season, which contributes around 70pc of the annual agricultural output, is seen as the linchpin of national food security. With projections set at over 659 million quintals of crop production, the government is banking on technological adoption and improved extension services to hit its targets.
Girma underscored that awareness campaigns and access to modern agricultural practices are paying dividends, with more farmers than ever embracing innovative techniques.
As climate variability and population pressures mount, the pivot towards mechanisation and coordinated farming signals a significant step in transforming its agrarian economy into a more resilient, productive sector.