Addis Ababa October 24/2022 (ENA) The significantly increased production of wheat in Ethiopia is promising and the country can provide its best practice to other countries in the region, FAO Coordinator in Djibouti Fallou Guèye said.
The eastern Africa region is drought prone due to climate change and has recently witnessed drought, flood, and locust infestation.
Meanwhile, the region which is heavily dependent on imported food staff is affected by the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
In
an exclusive interview with ENA, FAO Coordinator in Djibouti Fallou
Guèye said that the eastern Africa region faces food insecurity.
He lauded Ethiopia’s commitment to scaling up agricultural productivity, especially wheat production.
According to him, Ethiopia can serve as an example for other countries towards ensuring food security.
“Ethiopia
has increased its production of wheat significantly despite the
constraints the agricultural sector is facing. I think this is very
promising and since Ethiopia is in the heart of the horn of Africa and
the headquarter of African Union, I think Ethiopia has the know-how,
technology that can help to provide assistance to other countries of the
region so that they can may be tackle self-sufficient in other cereals.
Wheat is in Ethiopia but other countries can also increase the
production of millet, sorghum, and maize so that the region as a whole
can be self-sufficient in cereal production,” Guèye elaborated.
The
Coordinator stated that the government of Ethiopia has given due
emphasis to boost productivity by introducing technology, improving
human capacity, and investing.
“Other
countries can learn a lot from Ethiopia because I know that Ethiopia
has established an agency for transforming agriculture, which is
providing decisive support that the farmers in Ethiopia can produce very
efficiently, in a sustainable manner. I think other countries of the
region can learn a lot from the experience of Ethiopia in putting in
place the infrastructure in terms of institutions, human capacity and
all the investment that is required,” he emphasized.
Furthermore, Guèye pointed out there is need to also focus on utilizing the untapped potential of livestock and fishery.