Reducing Dependency, Defending Sovereignty

March 20, 2025

Recent research reveals that Africa generates a staggering 1.3 million tons of food waste each year. Despite having vast resources, the continent continues to struggle with hunger, worsened by both natural and human-made factors. Frequent conflicts, political instability, and the impacts of climate change significantly contribute to this dire situation.

Moreover, around 733 million people faced hunger in 2023, equating to one in every eleven people globally, and one in five in Africa, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report.

Ethiopia is making notable strides towards food sovereignty, particularly by boosting agricultural output, with a focus on wheat production. Once heavily reliant on imported wheat, the country has now successfully become an exporter.

Government strategies have been instrumental in boosting local wheat production, allowing Ethiopia to export its surplus wheat to neighboring countries such as Kenya and Djibouti. The Ethiopian government’s efforts are not solely about exportation but also aim to reduce the country’s foreign debt and achieve food self-sufficiency.

The burden of foreign influence further complicates Africa’s struggle for food security. External pressures can divert attention and resources from local solutions, which leaves many African and developing nations facing food insecurity and dependency on imports for their nutritional needs.

The country’s agricultural development program is a significant step toward building a more sustainable food system capable of supporting its population and stimulating economic growth.

In addition to wheat exportation, Ethiopia is pursuing various other agricultural development strategies, such as investing in advanced farming technologies, improving irrigation infrastructure, and increasing farmers’ access to essential inputs.

Ethiopia is also focusing on agricultural mechanization to encourage higher productivity. These efforts are combined with attempts to create an efficient food system while ensuring environmental protection. Furthermore, the country is developing a comprehensive Ethiopian Food System and Nutrition (EFSN) strategy aimed at creating a healthy, accessible, and sustainable food system for its people.

A 16-member council of ministries has been formed to oversee the program’s implementation, with the recently added Ministry of Labor and Skills playing a key role. Each ministry has been assigned specific tasks to ensure effective coordination.

Kefalegn Getahun (PhD), Coordinator of the Ethiopian Food System and Nutrition Program, emphasized that food systems and nutrition are national priorities. He noted that Ethiopia has made significant progress in developing a climate-resilient food system compared to other African nations. Projects like the Green Legacy Initiative, Lemat Tirufat, and wheat production development are playing a crucial role in enhancing food security and improving nutritional health.

The Ethiopian food system transformation and nutrition program is being executed in seven clusters, with the goal of improving both the availability and access to nutritious and safe food. This not only guarantees increased crop productivity but also focuses on equitable access to healthy food for all. Modernizing indigenous food production and processing systems is also a key part of the initiative.

These reformative efforts seek to address Ethiopia’s nutritional challenges by improving food security, diversifying food sources, and enhancing access to nutritious foods.

The adoption of renewable agriculture, a holistic system that integrates various farming practices, is also seen as vital to this initiative. It is considered to hold great potential for benefiting the agricultural sector and is expected to play a significant role in consolidating the national economy, especially in a country where over 85% of the population relies on agriculture for their livelihood.

Dejene Abera (PhD), National Coordinator of Artificial and Integrated Soil Fertility Management at the Ethiopian Agriculture Research Institute’s Melkasa Agricultural Research Center, explained that renewable agriculture aims to enhance soil fertility and diversity while creating a productive and sustainable agricultural system. This system is intended to sequester carbon in the soil, helping mitigate climate change.

Fentahun Mengistu (PhD), Country Director of the Sasakawa Africa Association, underscored the importance of sustainable agriculture in boosting productivity and protecting the environment. He pointed out that responsible farming practices are especially crucial in the face of climate change, which is increasing soil acidity and salinity. By focusing on biodiversity in crop systems, sustainable agriculture can ensure soil fertility, improve nutrition, and boost export production.

Sustainable farming practices also involve rotating different crop types—either temporally or spatially—which significantly influences household food availability and market access. This approach not only promotes sustainable farming but also helps address challenges like pests, diseases, climate change impacts, and soil erosion.

The Sasakawa Africa Association has been involved in planning and implementing sustainable agriculture programs for over three decades, benefiting farmers in various Ethiopian regions. These projects improve farmers’ productivity and create market linkages for their products.

Kefalegn stressed the need for collaborative strategies among policymakers to address the complexities of the food system. This allows stakeholders to better anticipate and manage the challenges and opportunities that arise.

He added that the program promotes the use of improved seed types, better breed animals, fertilizers, agrochemicals, and microbes to increase farm productivity. It also fosters accelerated mechanization, the use of digital technologies, and greater innovation in farming practices.

Despite Ethiopia’s diverse agricultural sector, with over 150 different crops, land availability remains limited. Fentahun pointed out that more than 81% of Ethiopia’s cultivated land is dedicated to cereal and rice crops like sorghum, maize, wheat, barley, and teff, while only 12% is used for pulses. The remaining land is used for oilseeds, vegetables, and fruits. This imbalance highlights the urgent need to diversify agriculture. Pulses and oilseeds, in particular, are crucial for improving soil fertility, nutritional quality, and export potential.

To successfully implement sustainable farming, Fentahun recommended awareness and training programs that encourage farmers to utilize natural resources responsibly and adopt irrigation techniques. These practices improve land security, reduce resource shortages, and stabilize farmers’ economies.

Kefalegn also highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by stakeholders in Ethiopia’s economy, particularly farmers who are significantly impacted by locust infestations. He emphasized the need for skills development, technology innovation centers, rural electrification, and urban strengthening to support farmers and enhance the overall food system.

Additionally, several projects initiated by the Sasakawa Africa Association have already assisted thousands of farmers. In the current financial year alone, these projects have reached 30,000 farmers through training, demonstration work, supply of agricultural inputs, and outreach programs aimed at improving the agricultural environment.

To address challenges within the agricultural sector, experts stress the importance of knowledge-based interventions to better utilize available opportunities and overcome existing limitations.

For African nations, there is much to learn from Ethiopia’s legacy of implementing strategies to enhance food security. To effectively combat hunger, African nations must prioritize homegrown solutions and foster greater collaboration, both within the continent and with international partners. However, a major challenge remains the gap between dialogue and implementation at various conferences, such as the World Without Hunger and COP, which aim to tackle food security challenges.

BY FIKADU BELAY

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 20 MARCH 2025