Ethiopia conducts large-scale distribution of machinery for agricultural mechanisation

The Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture has distributed mechanised equipment worth approximately US$15 million as part of the national "Medemer" strategy. Deliveries were made to all the country’s regional states and the Dire Dawa City Administration, as reported by Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), a partner of TV BRICS.

The equipment package included 63 tractors, 71 walking tractors, 150 rice threshers, 460 solar-powered pumping stations, and five groundwater pumps. In addition, the regions received four egg incubators, 15 field vehicles, 243 motorcycles and 980 computers to strengthen administrative capacity.

Minister of Agriculture Addisu Arega called the development of mechanisation one of the government’s top priorities. According to him, expanding access to modern machinery is necessary to move away from traditional farming methods and transition to an economy based on high-tech agriculture.

The minister emphasised that replacing labour-intensive ploughing with modern technology would reduce the physical strain on farmers, increase production efficiency and minimise post-harvest losses. He also noted that agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood for millions of people, particularly young people and women, and that mechanisation is therefore crucial for inclusive development.

The programme’s partners include the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute, as well as projects in the areas of food system resilience, sustainable land use and others. In addition to mechanisation, the ministry is prioritising the expansion of irrigation, the improvement of livestock breeds, the introduction of biotechnology, the distribution of poultry, and the improvement of animal health and feed production systems.