Ethiopia Transforms from Food Importer to Exporter, Says UNIDO Chief.

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia has turned around from food importer to exporter in the past six years under the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, UNIDO Director General Gerd Muller said. The government of Ethiopia has identified wheat as a strategic commodity for food security, import substitution and export to foreign markets. The country’s wheat production has reached a new milestone, enabling it to stand as one of the largest producers of wheat in Africa.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, Ethiopia’s success is possible to replicate in almost all African countries, as stated by the UNIDO Director General. He made these remarks during the World Without Hunger Conference held at the Adwa Memorial Museum in Addis Ababa. The African population is projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, while the demand for food will grow by 70 percent, he mentioned. However, he highlighted Africa’s potential to end hunger, noting that the continent has 60 percent of the world’s arable land and six of the fastest-growing econom
ies are African countries.

Muller elaborated that productivity in Africa is still low and infrastructure in rural areas is poorly developed, leading many African countries to transition from being exporters to importers since 1960. He acknowledged the progress Ethiopia has made, emphasizing that under the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the country has achieved a significant turnaround from being a food importer to an exporter.

The Director General also stressed the importance of improving private sector investment, infrastructure development in rural areas, and agricultural practices. He mentioned that UNIDO believes industrialization is key to creating millions of jobs across the continent.