Over 12 Million Hectares of Land Covered with Crops : Ministry of Agriculture
Some 12.2 million hectares of land has been covered with various crops during the kiremet, the main rainy season in Ethiopia, according to Ministry of Agriculture.
Agriculture Extension Director-General at the ministry Germame Girma told ENA that farming activities have been well underway across the nation, except in some parts of the country where securities are disrupted due to the heinous acts of the terrorist TPLF.
According to him, out of the planned 13.2 million hectares of land 12.2 million is cultivated.
“Through developing 13.2 million hectares of land, over 374 million quintals of produce is expected. Out of the planned land to be cultivated, however, 12.2 millions of hectare has been covered with various crops seeds,” he stated.
The one million hectares of land would be cultivated with crops like chickpea and vetch, lentil and red beans after the rainy season, the director-general elaborated.
According to Germame, the cultivation plan has been set up by taking in consideration the nation’s annual need, export, and the capacity to develop as well as provision of agricultural inputs.
As the weather has been favorable and adequate agricultural inputs made available on time, the nation expects better production this 2013/14 harvesting season.
The director-general further stated that preliminary assessments have been conducted in the areas where disruptions of agricultural activities occurred to identify the gaps and take measures to fill the deficit.
Some 16,000 professionals in the sector and the leaderships are ready to provide support for farmers in these areas in the effort to come up with the best solution, he added.
Germame also pointed out a range of alternative to fill the gap. “If the war stops soon and the displaced return to their homes, fast growing crops like chickpea and vetch, lentil and red bean would be cultivated.’’
Irrigation development will also be consolidated more than ever to compensate for the shortfall in Tigray region and in some parts of Amhara region, it was pointed out.
Noting that land consolidation (cluster cultivation) is also the other means of increasing productivity, the director-general said the production of wheat and maize has increased by 40 and 60 quintals per hectare, respectively, through cluster cultivation.
Of the total land, 5.2 is being cultivated in cluster cultivation with maize, wheat and teff among others this harvesting season. Last year 3.5 million hectares of land had been cultivated with wheat, teff.
Source: Ethiopia News Agency