Day: May 5, 2023

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock is working on modalities to promote the growth of crops that are rich in production of biofuels in Arid and Semiarid Lands (ASAL) in the country.

The Ministry in partnership with (ENI) group, an Italian agency have finalized plans to enhance production of castor oil, croton, and cotton in the largely under-utilized ASAL areas.

With 80 per cent of the country’s land mass classified under arid and semi-arid areas, the move will significantly increase the country’s agricultural production.

The Department of Crop Development, under the leadership of Principal Secretary Kello Harsama, will be leading the way in this project, which aims to use marginal or degraded land to grow crops that do not compete with the food supply chain.

ENI has already supported more than 50,000 farmers in 11 counties and established a processing plant (agri-hub) in Makueni County with a production capacity of 15,000 tons per year. The vegetable oil produced by this plant is currently used at the Gela refinery in Italy.

To expand this program, a second agri-hub will be launched in the latter half of 2023, with more planned in the years ahead, aiming to produce 200,000 tonnes by 2026.

This expansion to more counties, with plans to reach over 200,000 farmers and 200,000 hectares, will have a significant impact on the lives of these communities, creating economic opportunities and improving overall agricultural production.

To achieve this goal, the initiative will involve the provision of technical support and training to farmers on modern agro-forestry techniques, such as intercropping and soil conservation practices.

The initiative is set to transform the livelihoods of these communities by providing a reliable source of income and improving the economic conditions of the ASAL areas.

In an interview with ENI, PS Kello Harsama emphasized the potential of this initiative to positively change the lives of the communities in the largely previously referred to as marginalized areas.

With this project, he said the government seeks to create economic opportunities for the local communities in the ASAL regions while increasing the country’s overall agricultural production.

The 11 counties include Makueni, Kitui, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita Taveta, Nakuru, Baringo, Embu, Kirinyaga, Machakos, and Lamu. Twelve more counties will be added to the project.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The efforts carried out over the past three years to ensure food security, import substitution and job creation by expediting the development of agricultural sector is encouraging, Minister of Agriculture, Girma Amante said.

The Minister made the remark at the 2nd Oromia Agricultural Transformation Council meeting held today in the presence of Oromia Regional State Chief Administrator Shimelis Abdissa, Minister of Agriculture, Girma Amante, university presidents and researchers among others.

During the occasion, the minister said the success registered in various agriculture sectors in Oromia regional state need to be further strengthened and expended in all parts of the country.

He added that the success we have achieved so far is due to the strong leadership and feasible systems developed at the federal and regional levels.

He noted that recently ministers of four African countries visited Ethiopia to see the progress made in agriculture sector and share best experience.

This success should continue well, he said, adding that the work done in the past three years to ensure mass production, food security, imports substitution and job creation for youth in the agricultural sector is encouraging.

“If we work together with our strength and knowledge, we can make our agricultural work successful, Girma added.

Shimilis Abdissa on his part said although positive results have been obtained in agriculture sectors over the past years, agricultural mechanization, rural finance, supply of inputs and commercialization among others are need due attention.

To bring about the desired results in the sector, scientific research must also be consistent with the farmer’s knowledge, he said.

He further explained that if we cannot bring the scientific research that our agriculture needs, it is impossible to get out of the trap of poverty with the usual way of farming.

This will require us to coordinate the knowledge and experience of higher educational institutions and agricultural research centers to achieve greater success in the future, he added.

Shimelis stressed that all concerned bodies should exert maximum efforts to strengthen the achievement obtained so far and work on issues that need attention for agricultural transition.

The Oromia Agricultural Transformation Council was established last year with a view to promoting productivity by modernizing the sector through cluster farming.

Among the initiatives thus far carried out by council includes the production of wheat malt barley, dairy, rice ,tea, coffee, banana, and avocado as well as cattle breeding and poultry through cluster farming system.

The meeting examined the performance of the transformation council and put direction for the implementation of agricultural initiatives and implement new initiatives.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

President Sahlework Zewde said “Patriotism is our value to shape generation”.

Ethiopia today marked the 82nd Patriots Victory Day under the theme “Togetherness for Perseverance and Victory”.

The Ethiopian Patriots’ Victory Day is a national holiday in Ethiopia celebrating on 5 May in commemoration of the Ethiopian resistance movement over Italian five year occupation of Ethiopia.

An event was underway in connection with the day in Addis Ababa around the Victory Monument in the presence President Sahlework, other senior government officials, Patriots and representatives of different countries.

During the occasion, President Sahlework paid tribute to all the patriots who safeguarded the nation’s sovereignty through their scarification.

Sahlework stressed that patriotism is the value that Ethiopia will shape its next generation.

Furthermore, the President stressed that the Patriots Victory Day is an exemplary that the current generation can bring change if united.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The opening of the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel phase two is a testament of the “success of Ethiopian Airlines and its continued growth not just in Africa but globally,” Fairfax Africa Fund Global Chairperson Zemedeneh Negatu said.

The second phase of the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, built at a cost of over 155 million USD, was inaugurated today by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

With the completion of the second phase, Ethiopian Skylight Hotel has a total of 1,024 rooms.

Fairfax Africa Fund Global Chairman Zemedeneh Negatu told ENA that hotel has a world class facility, the kind of hotels you normally see someplace like in Dubai, Singapore, and China. “It is really world class five star quality place.”

“Not only is the hotel big, but it also has the capacity to attract and accommodate large number of visitors,” he added.

Noting that Addis Ababa lacked big hotel quality facility in the past, Zemedeneh said that this is a reflection of the fact that Addis Ababa and Ethiopia can now accommodate a very large group of visitors with high quality.”

According to the chairperson, Ethiopia’s economy is going forward for the next 10 years and one of the priorities for growth is tourism that needs the development of infrastructure.

“For tourism to grow, you need infrastructures like hotels, places to stay, and of course Ethiopian Airlines that is connecting the domestic to the global. This hotel, I think is a reflection of that strategy. Hotel and tourism growth strategy coming together. It’s a real testament.”

He further noted that there are a few countries, certainly not in Africa, that have such a hotel. “I think this is (therefore) a big celebration for Ethiopian Airlines and Ethiopians as well as for the tourism sector in this country.”

Although this hotel has multiple purposes, one is providing service for transit passengers. And Ethiopian Airlines will transport about 14 million passengers around the world this year.

Zemedeneh pointed out that Ethiopian is the biggest airline in Africa and also one of the biggest in the world. So, of those 14 million who fly with Ethiopian Airlines, imagine that 20 percent transit through Addis Ababa. In this scenario, Addis will end up with over two million passengers.

He believes that the country “actually needs a lot more of these hotels. There are hotels being built, but Addis actually needs a lot more hotels like this, because if we look at the growth of Ethiopian Airlines vision 2035 it could double the number of aircrafts.”

For that to really be accommodated efficiently you need facilities, infrastructures, airports, of course, the chairperson stated, adding that the Bole International Airport was expanded to accommodate 22 million passengers last year.

“There is also a decision to build a new 100 million passengers airport just outside of Addis. All these things need to be looked at in an integrated way. It’s not just the hotel, it is also the airline, the hotels or the service. When you start dealing with this business like this, the service providers or the ecosystem or service providers from catering to drinks and other things will grow as well together.”

Zemedeneh stated that such hotels will have a multiplier effect on the economy and will certainly help strengthen Ethiopia’s desire to become a major tourist destination.

The world-class five Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, is owned by Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest and one of the most profitable in the world.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency