In chtse area intensive farming is carried on in limited. Put in perspective, Ethiopia's key agricultural sector has grown at an annual . By 1989, the area covered by the State Farms had grown to a total of 220,000 hectares. An estimated 85 percent of the . [27], Most of the estimated 7.5 million equines (horses, mules, and donkeys) are used to transport produce and other agricultural goods. Wubne, Mulatu. A couple of U.S. investors have also entered the market. The soil was equilibrated with pH 7.5 buffer solution whereby reserve H is brought into the solution, which results in depression of pH which will be made and . processed food, beverages, and livestock products meat, milk, and eggs), as well as the textile/apparel and leather industries. Accordingly, state farms received a large share of the country's resources for agriculture; from 1982 to 1990, this totaled about 43% of the government's agricultural investment. Land Utilization (Private Peasant Holdings, Meher Season) 2020/21 (2013 E.C.) Commercial Imports from the United States, Source: USDA/Foreign Agriculture Service, Addis Ababa, (Total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports). Most Ethiopians practice mixed agricultural activity which represents about 33.88 . They are boiled, roasted, or included in a stew-like dish known as wot, which is sometimes a main dish and sometimes a supplementary food. Note: Top 3 trade partners are calculated by imports + exports. In fact, over 50% of the daily caloric intake of an average household is from wheat, sorghum, and corn. SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF AGRICULTURE 2 2.1. Some informal trade is most likely occurring in production areas located along borders. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Due to physical, economic and social factors the. During the rainy seasons, water and grass are generally plentiful, but with the onset of the dry season, forage is generally insufficient to keep animals nourished and able to resist disease. For this reason, some environmental experts maintain that large-scale conservation work in Ethiopia has been ineffective. Over 60% of Ethiopian coffee is produced as forest coffee . The amount of coffee inspected in the fiscal year 20072008 by the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) was 230,247 tons, a decrease of almost 3% from the previous fiscal year's total of 236,714 tons. The Ethiopian Government set up the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) to reach certain goals between 2011 and 2015. In the dry lowlands, persistent winds also contribute to soil erosion. The Ethiopian Socioeconomic Survey (ESS) is a collaborative project between the Central Statistics Agency of Ethiopia (CSA) and the World Bank Living Standards Measurement Study- Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA) team. A 1979 study showed that around Addis Ababa individual holdings ranged from 1.0 to 1.6 hectares and that about 48 percent of the parcels were less than one-fourth of a hectare in size. Cookies on OCLC websites. Despite this potential, however, Ethiopian agriculture has remained underdeveloped. These soils are found in both the northern and the southern highlands in areas with poor drainage. Beef exports are also growing, with additional market opportunities on the horizon. "Agriculture" (and subsections), updated with latest figures from the CSA. Prior to the Revolution, urbanization increased the demand for fruit, leading to the establishment of citrus orchards in areas with access to irrigation in Shewa, Arsi, Hararghe, and Eritrea. This growth is expected to create investment and trade opportunities for certain commodities and open doors for veterinary and other livestock services. Private . Matou, P., Y. Todo, et al. One way the government is hoping to improve cotton yields is with Genetically Engineered (GE) cotton. The opportunities and constraints facing Ethiopian agriculture are strongly influenced by conditions which vary across geographical space. Although the AMC had agents in all regions, it was particularly active in the major cereal producing regions, namely, Gojjam, Shewa, Arsi, and Gondar. In the future, the government intends to work with the private sector to develop capacity to process some of these commodities, like fruits and vegetables, in order to add value and capture higher export prices. [7], The plains and low foothills west of the highlands have sandy and gray-to-black clay soils. [7], While efforts are being made to intensify and industrialize the sector, questions arise as to how Ethiopia can develop and expand its livestock population when Ethiopians already struggle to gain access to good soil, grazing land, and water. Peasant associations used 361 nurseries to plant 11,000 hectares of land in community forest. [7], Historically, Ethiopia was a rare exception in Sub-Saharan Africa, because of its special environmental circumstances, that enabled Ethiopian farmers to increase their productivity, for example by using ploughs. Citation: Kehali Jembere, Tekalign Mamo and Kibebew Kibret, 2017. Section D. To evaluate the genetic diversity of Ethiopian potato cultivars, and to assess their relationship with germplasm from North America, Europe and the International Potato Center (CIP), 8303 SNP markers were used to characterize 44 local Ethiopian cultivars, as well as . The Government of Ethiopia (GOE) has embarked on a ten-year economic development plan (2021-2030) where agriculture is on the top of priority sectors. This is a best prospect for Ethiopia. In the 1980s, as part of an effort to increase production and to improve the cultivation and harvesting of coffee, the government created the Ministry of Coffee and Tea Development (now the ECTA), which was responsible for production and marketing. Grains - Grains are the most important field crops and the main element in the diet of most Ethiopians. [7] Potato is an increasingly important crop in Ethiopia, but the origin of local cultivars grown throughout the country is unknown. In addition, it is hoped that the number of key crops are doubled from 18.1m metric to 39.5m metric tonnes. Consequently, the country faced a famine that resulted in the death of nearly 1 million people from 1984 to 1986. [7], By the mid-1960s, many sectors of Ethiopian society favored land reform. But with proper drainage and conditioning, these soils have excellent agricultural potential. [7], During the imperial era, the government failed to implement widespread conservation measures, largely because the country's complex land tenure system stymied attempts to halt soil erosion and improve the land. While, Gebreyesus and Kirubel (2009) reported that the heavy reliance of some 85 percent of Ethiopia's growing population on an exploitative kind of subsistence agriculture is a major reason behind the current state of land degradation. This can be attributed to two factors. Includes a market overview and trade data. In the coming decades, ensuring food security is one of the greatest challenges in Ethiopia. Between 198485 and 198687, at the height of the drought, Ethiopia received more than 1.7 million tons of grain, about 14 percent of the total food aid for Africa. 133 8.5.2. Agriculture >. These areas are used by pastoralists who move back and forth in the area following the availability of pasture for their animals. To promote commercial-scale farming, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) created the Ethiopian Agricultural Land and Investment Administration Agency dedicated to overseeing any new large-scale commercial farm deals. [17], Although varying from region to region, the role of livestock in the Ethiopian economy was greater than the figures suggest. [12], In addition to smaller productions of other agricultural products.[13]. <i>Results . [27], Poultry farming is widely practiced in Ethiopia; almost every farmstead keeps some poultry for consumption and for cash sale. ", Table D.1.1, "The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia: Statistical Appendix", p. 26. Area, Production and Farm Management Practices (Private Peasant Holdings, Belg Season) 2020/2021 (2013 E.C.) However, opponents of villagization argued that the scheme was disruptive to agricultural production because the government moved many farmers during the planting and harvesting seasons. In 20062007 (the latest year available), exports of chat accounted for 25% of export earnings (or 8oo million Birr). The first three are primarily cool-weather crops cultivated at altitudes generally above 1,500 meters. In fact, the soybean crushing and soybean oil refining industry is quickly emerging. Kassaye Tolassa . There is considerable room for investment when considering that about 95 percent of Ethiopias crop production is rain fed. Ethiopia is home to one of the largest livestock populations in Africa. In fact, Ethiopia recently started importing chicken meat from Ukraine and Brazil. Furthermore, cropping has become more intensive and needs more labour; the establishment of exclosures and the expansion of cropland have led to less grazing grounds. In addition, the ten-year development plan aims at boosting agricultural export revenues and substituting imports by reducing production costs. With support from the African Development Banks agricultural Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation program. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy of the country as the following facts indicate. Commercial agriculture using the river basins, such as the Awash Basin, is a recent phenomenon. The contributions of agriculture in Ethiopia. Another study, of Dejen awraja (subregion) in Gojjam, found that land fragmentation had been exacerbated since the revolution. The combined pressure of crop and livestock production and the ever-increasing human f AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS IN ETHIOPIA 285 population on the land in this farming system is high. According to a 1987 estimate, beef accounted for about 51% of all meat consumption, followed by mutton and lamb (19%), poultry (15%), and goat (14%). However, even with this anticipated increase in chicken meat production, demand is expected to outstrip supply, thereby creating potential opportunities for imports. Section D. [7], Most agricultural producers are subsistence farmers with small holdings, often broken into several plots. Rain-fed cotton also grew in Humera, Bilate, and Arba Minch. Soil acidity is one of the most important environmental threats to the Ethiopian highlands where the livelihood of the majority of people is reliant on agriculture. Ethiopia is endowed with abundant agricultural resources and has diverse agro-ecological zones. In the late nineteenth century, about 30% of Ethiopia was covered with forest. Farm Management Practices (Private Peasant Holdings, Meher Season) 2020/21 (2013 E.C.) As a result, vegetable oils are widely used, and oilseed cultivation is an important agricultural activity. The first, found in areas with relatively good drainage, consists of red-to-reddish-brown clayey loams that hold moisture and are well endowed with needed minerals, with the exception of phosphorus. Area, Production and Farm Management Practices (Private Peasant Holdings, Belg Season) 2020/2021 (2013 E.C.) To achieve this, the GOE seeks to leverage on developing huge unutilized arable land, modernizing production systems, and improving uptake of technology. in addition to these cereals, they produce different types of fruits and coffee which are not seasonal. [7], Of Ethiopia's total land area of 1,221,480 square kilometers, the government estimated in the late 1980s that 15 percent was under cultivation and 51 percent was pasture. In addition to cattle, small ruminants (goats and sheep) and beasts of burden (donkey, horse, mule) are not uncommon in this farming system. This is a best prospect industry sector for this country. [7] Despite government efforts, farmers responded less than enthusiastically. Consequently, individual holdings were frequently far smaller than the permitted maximum allotment of ten hectares. U.S. Department of Commerce Section D. Characteristics of agricultural landscape features and local soil fertility management practices in Northwestern Amhara, Ethiopia. The GOE has approved two different varieties of Bt cottonseeds for commercial cultivation. Recently, the GOE has permitted imports of basic food commodities using franco-valuta scheme to narrow supply and demand gap and reduce rising inflation in the country. As a result, agriculture continued to grow, albeit below the population growth rate. In EFY 197475, pulses and oilseeds accounted for 34% of export earnings (about 163 million Birr), but this share declined to about 3% (about 30 million Birr) in EFY 198889. The poor performance of agriculture was related to several factors, including drought; a government policy of controlling prices and the free movement of agricultural products from surplus to deficit areas; the unstable political climate; the dislocation of the rural community caused by resettlement, villagization, and conscription of young farmers to meet military obligations; land tenure difficulties and the problem of land fragmentation; the lack of resources such as farm equipment, better seeds, and fertilizers; and the overall low level of technology. Researchers found however that, since transhumance takes place in summer, during school holidays, the transhumance in itself does not affect schooling. It features and analyzes the country's agricultural progress from 1960s to date, and some . Coffee grows wild in many parts of the country, although most Ethiopian coffee is produced in the Oromia Region (63.7%) and in the SNNPR (34.4%), with lesser amounts in the Gambela Region and around the city of Dire Dawa. Food production had consistently declined throughout the 1980s. Sandy desert soils cover much of the arid lowlands in the northeast and in the Ogaden of southeastern Ethiopia. Agriculture in Ethiopia. It accounts for nearly 80% of the land under cultivation and employs 60% of the rural workforce, most of which work on less than one hectare of land. "Agriculture" (and subsections). Agriculture is one of the best prospect sectors for growth in Ethiopia. Develop a legal framework for agriculture-specific financial services such as micro-lending, crop insurance and forward contracts. Private traders and the Agricultural Marketing Corporation (AMC), established in 1976, marketed Ethiopia's agricultural output. Per capita meat consumption was high by developing countries' standards, an estimated thirteen kilograms annually. Firstly, various policies that discouraged private sector participation in economic activity were implemented during the socialist era (between 1978 and 1992). Though the raising of livestock always has been largely a subsistence activity,[22] intensive, factory farm facilities are gaining in popularity and are present in Addis Ababa and Debre Zeit, run by Ethiopian agribusiness ELFORA. Ethiopias commercial red meat (beef, mutton and goat) industry has made remarkable progress to date and shows considerable growth potential for the future. University students led the land reform movement and campaigned against the government's reluctance to introduce land reform programs and the lack of commitment to integrated rural development. The soils of the Great Rift Valley often are conducive to agriculture if water is available for irrigation. According to the World Bank, agricultural production increased at an average annual rate of 2.1 percent between 1965 and 1973, while population increased at an average annual rate of 2.6 percent during the same period. Vertisols are very important soils in Ethiopian agriculture. Almost all farming tools in Ethiopia are traditional and made from different types of wood. [16] In 20062007 (the latest year available), exports of oilseeds accounted for 15.78% of export earnings (or million 187.4 Birr) and pulses 5.92% (or 70.3 million Birr). Under the current administration, the GOE has renewed its emphasis to develop the agriculture sector, ensure food security, and achieve import substition. Agro-processed products, such as chicken, cheese, butter, eggs, biscuits, bread, juice, etc. The government's price controls and the AMC's operations had led to the development of different price systems at various levels. These activities have contributed to higher yields and increased production of both crops and livestock. The Tendaho Cotton Plantation in the lower Awash Valley was one of Ethiopia's largest cotton plantations. The principal grains are teff, wheat, barley, corn, sorghum, and millet. The main objective of this review is to indicate the policy gaps in terms of access . Washington, DC 20230. Five major cereals (teff, wheat, maize, sorghum and barley) are the core of Ethiopia's agriculture and food economy, accounting for about The GOE encourages investments in meat processing, especially those that are focused on exporting value-added products abroad. Please see below for the market overview and trade data. The problem became so serious that Mengistu lashed out against the peasantry on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of military rule in September 1978. Available data on crop production show that land reform and the various government rural programs had a minimal impact on increasing the food supply, as production levels displayed considerable fluctuations and low growth rates at best. @article{Haile1988CausesAC, title={Causes and Characteristics of Drought in Ethiopia. Pulses, grown widely at all altitudes from sea level to about 3,000 meters, are more prevalent in the northern and central highlands. In this regard, the CSA conducts, produces, disseminates and administers data generated from surveys and censuses in Ethiopia. In view of this, a study was conducted to characterize the landscape features and related biophysical settings and to identify the local soil . [6] Ethiopia has great agricultural potential because of its vast areas of fertile land, diverse climate, generally adequate rainfall, and large labor pool. For northwest and central Ethiopia, fertilizer usage determinants are estimated simultaneously with technology-specific production functions. At the same time, to accelerate the countrys agricultural development, the government established the Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) to address systemic bottlenecks in the agriculture sector by supporting and enhancing the capability of the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and other public, private, and non-governmental implementing partners. major pulse crops grown in the country are chickpea, haricot beans, lentils, fababean and peas, The Ethiopian Orthodox Church traditionally has forbidden consumption of animal fats on many days of the year. These conditions include basic agricultural production potentials, access to input and output markets, and local population densities which represent both labor availability and local demand for food. Agron., 16: 180-195. . Explain the main contribution, potentials, characteristics , and problems of Ethiopian agriculture. 2. 27 May 2021. Adigrat University, College of Agriculture, Department of Animal Production and Technology, Adgrat, Tigray, Ethiopia Address: Adigrat University, P.O.Box 50 Abstract: Ethiopia is endowed with diverse cattle genetic resources adapted to various local environmental conditions and acquired unique features. Young herders take their text books of the upcoming school year to the grazing grounds. In the highlands, oxen provided draft power in crop production. [19][20], Sorghum, millet, and corn are cultivated mostly in warmer areas at lower altitudes along the country's western, southwestern, and eastern peripheries. Download. Ethiopia is home to abundant livestock resources. According to CSA (2015) report, cereals . Yet agriculture is the country's most promising resource. Land use function 2 2.2. It is a major subsistence crop and it is used as food. [23], However, herding cattle is one of the agricultural activities that resorts to indentured labor and particularly child labor according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Households spend an average of 40% of their total food budget on cereals. "Roles of extension and ethno-religious networks in acceptance of resource-conserving agriculture among Ethiopian farmers." The Ethiopian Herald (Addis Ababa) Urban agriculture utilizes resources such as land that have high demand for other urban uses . Overall, the economic reform plan sets out required strategic interventions to increase agricultural productivity and modernization of agriculture in the next 10 years. There are two predominant soil types in the highlands. This article is the second in a series that seek to examine the role of agriculture as a developmental opportunity for Africa. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. [7], President Mengistu's 1990 decision to allow free movement of goods, to lift price controls, and to provide farmers with security of tenure was designed to reverse the decline in Ethiopia's agricultural sector. Some of the land targeted for commercial development is considered marginal, prone to conflict, and/or has limited access to water. Exports are almost entirely agricultural commodities, and coffee is the largest foreign exchange earner. In early 1990, the government essentially abandoned villagization when it announced new economic policies that called for free-market reforms and a relaxation of centralized planning. Almost the entire rural population was involved in some way with animal husbandry, whose role included the provision of draft power, food, cash, transportation, fuel, and, especially in pastoral areas, social prestige. After the 1975 land reform, peasants began withholding grain from the market to drive up prices because government price-control measures had created shortages of consumer items. Ethiopia is also Africa's second biggest maize producer. [5] Ethiopia's livestock population is believed to be the largest in Africa, and in 20062007 livestock accounted for 10.6% of Ethiopia's export income, with leather and leather products making up 7.5% and live animals 3.1%. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy of the country as the following facts indicate. Agriculture in the Lake Tana Sub-Basin of Ethiopia -- 24. Export sales of U.S. cotton are expected as demand increases. The program later facilitated the establishment of similar internationally supported and financed projects at Ada'a Chukala (just south of Addis Ababa), Welamo, and Humera. By 1990 the state had begun to develop large poultry farms, mostly around Addis Ababa, to supply hotels and government institutions. Since the 2000s, Ethiopia has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa. [7], Soil erosion has been one of the country's major problems. ", Table D.2. Source: Source: USDA/Foreign Agriculture Service, Addis Ababa, Total Market Size = (Total Local Production + Total Imports) (Total Exports). Individual poultry farms supply eggs and meat to urban dwellers. The GOE is focusing on expanding chicken meat production in order to reduce the countrys longstanding dependence on the livestock sector, minimize the sectors environmental footprint, and provide more affordable protein to the masses. Grain yields are relatively low due to the countrys rugged topography, poor land management, small-scale landholdings, irregular rainfall, limited mechanization, and insufficient supplies of fertilizer and improved seed. In Ethiopia, agriculture is the mainstay of the majority of the population and major driver of the national economy. Agriculture accounts for 36% percent of the nation's Gross domestic Product (GDP) as of 2020. Regular and reliable harvests helped generate stable tax income that led to relatively strong governmental structures that were ultimately the reason that Ethiopia was the only country not to be colonized in the late-nineteenth century Scramble for Africa apart from Liberia. The contribution of agriculture to growth in the manufacturing and services sectors was not significant between 1978 and 1998. The existence of so many land tenure systems, coupled with the lack of reliable data, made it difficult to give a comprehensive assessment of landownership in Ethiopia, as well as depressed the ability of peasants to improve themselves. It focusses on Ethiopia and provides a broad overview of some of the key developments in agriculture. Among the popular games on the grasslands, football (introduced via schools) tends to replace the traditional qarsa game. [7], Pulses are the second most important element in the national diet and a principal protein source. Although the MPPs improved the agricultural productivity of farmers, particularly in the project areas, there were many problems associated with discrimination against small farmers (because of a restrictive credit system that favored big landowners) and tenant eviction. In addition, the GOE continues to invest heavily in the expansion of the sugar industry, which is slated to be privatized in the near future with the aim of become one of the top ten sugar producers in the world over the next decade. [2][3][4] Many other economic activities depend on agriculture, including marketing, processing, and export of agricultural products. The particular GE cotton variety of interest is a product that is resistant to cotton bollworm, which is a pest challenge many farmers struggle to manage. To make matters worse, during the 1972-74 drought and famine the imperial government refused to assist rural Ethiopians and tried to cover up the crisis by refusing international aid. Ethiopias cotton production is insufficient to meet the growing demand from the textile and apparel sector. Ethiopia has considerable potential for producing cotton. In order to reduce the severity of this problem, several agricultural development strategies have been implemented since the 1960's. The AMC set quotas of grain purchases to be delivered by peasant associations and cooperatives and also bought from private wholesalers, who were required to sell half of their purchases at predetermined prices. Despite the Derg's efforts to reassure farmers that land reform would not affect them negatively, northerners remained suspicious of the new government's intentions. These types of soils are found in much of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region (SNNPR). Of an estimated 750,000 hectares of private commercial farms in operation at the time of the 1975 land proclamation, 67,000 hectares were converted into State Farms that, beginning in 1979, were operated by a new Ministry of State Farms. Agricultural equipment and systems, such as tractors, irrigation equipment, and grain handling Infrastructure like, silos, cold storage facilities, etc. Agriculture in Ethiopia is the foundation of the country's economy, accounting for half of gross domestic product (GDP), 83.9% of exports, and 80% of total employment.. Ethiopia's agriculture is plagued by periodic drought, soil degradation caused by overgrazing, deforestation, high levels of taxation and poor infrastructure (making it difficult and expensive to get goods to market). Ethiopian Agricultural Research Institute (EIAR), Ethiopian Trading Business Corporation (ETBC). Despite the emphasis on state farms, state farm production accounted for only 6% of total agricultural output in 1987 (although meeting 65% of urban needs), leaving peasant farmers responsible for over 90% of production.