Ethiopia adopts national strategies for sustainable agricultural development and environmental protection

The Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia has presented national strategies for the development of agroecology and agroforestry. Both documents set out directions for the transformation of the country’s agricultural and food systems over the next 15 years, reports ENA, a partner of TV BRICS.

The agroecology strategy covers the period from 2026 to 2040 and establishes a framework for building sustainable food systems. The agroforestry development strategy is set for the period 2026–2035 and proposes the introduction of tree planting to improve ecological processes on agricultural land while simultaneously increasing productivity.

At the launch ceremony, State Minister of Agriculture of Ethiopia Professor Eyasu Elias stated that the agricultural sector remains indispensable for the country’s economic growth. At the same time, he highlighted the challenges facing the sector, including climate change, declining soil fertility, and land degradation.

The minister emphasised that the new strategies are intended to improve the condition of soils, forest and agricultural landscapes, enhance water-use efficiency, and preserve biodiversity. Particular attention in the documents is given to improving farmers’ livelihoods and strengthening food security.

Earlier, Ethiopia had already achieved positive results in developing sustainable agricultural systems through the “Green Legacy” programme.

Head of the Natural Resources Development, Protection and Utilisation Directorate of the ministry, Fanose Mekonen, noted that the implementation of the strategies will require close cooperation among development partners and all stakeholders.