By Temesgen Assefa Addis Ababa, January 29, 2026 (ENA) -The IGAD region, of which Ethiopia is a vital component, is a dynamic and strategic region demographically, economically, and politically. The region is home to over 230 million people, most of them young, a demographic reality that carries both opportunity and risk. The region faces a convergence of complex challenges, confronting overlapping economic, social, and environmental pressures. At the center of these pressures, climate change has emerged as a powerful accelerant, intensifying vulnerability and placing unprecedented strain on natural resources. The effects of climate change are increasingly visible, ranging from prolonged droughts and sudden floods to erratic rainfall patterns that disrupt water availability and agricultural productivity. These climate shocks, compounded by environmental degradation, resource scarcity, conflict, and poverty, have reshaped livelihoods across the region. One of the most visible outcomes of this pressure is migration—both within and beyond national borders. Internal displacement is widespread, as rural communities move toward urban centers in search of alternative livelihoods. This movement has contributed to the rapid expansion of informal settlements and growing pressure on urban infrastructure and basic services. Cross-border migration has also intensified, driven by economic hardship, climate stress, and insecurity, making population movement a defining feature of the region’s current reality. Understanding the links between climate change, economic opportunity, and migration is therefore essential. Against this backdrop, Ethiopia has embarked on an ambitious rural transformation agenda aimed at strengthening climate resilience and easing migration pressures—both domestically and across the wider Horn of Africa. Ethiopia’s agricultural transformation initiatives are not merely economic interventions; they represent a broader strategy to tackle poverty, unemployment, and environmental degradation through systemic change in rural production. These initiatives increasingly serve as a reference point for other countries in the Horn of Africa seeking to build climate-resilient rural communities and reduce migration pressures. Agricultural Commercialization Cluster (ACC): The Engine of Rural Transformation According to the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute, the Agricultural Commercialization Cluster (ACC) program stands at the core of Ethiopia’s rural transformation efforts. Launched in its first phase from 2019 to 2025, the program has reached approximately 4.4 million farmers across 311 woredas, focusing on 11 strategically selected commodities. These include staple grains such as wheat, maize, and teff, alongside high-value horticultural crops like avocado and banana. The defining feature of the ACC program is its clustering approach, designed to address land fragmentation—one of the most persistent constraints on agricultural productivity in rural Ethiopia. By enabling farmers to voluntarily form clusters of at least 0.25 hectares, the program promotes coordinated production, shared standards, and collective learning. With farmers cultivating the same commodities and applying improved agronomic practices, productivity gains have exceeded national averages. Between 2019 and 2025, grain yields increased by 34 percent, while horticultural horticultural yields skyrocketed by an impressive 193 percent. Building up on upon the previous ACC initiative, Agricultural Commercialization through Climate-Smart and Inclusive Innovations (ACCII) was recently launched and being implemented in the country. Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute Director-General Mandefro Nigussie said that the new initiative include selection of additional strategic commodities alongside the original eleven. Also, the geographic coverage of ACCII has been expanded to reach more regions across the country, the director-general noted. In terms of financial model, ACCII will implement a co-investment model, enhancing support for primary change agents, including smallholder farmers and other stakeholders. The director-general stated that the program has mainstream climate change initiatives, gender equality, and youth empowerment while transforming farmer production clusters into established agricultural companies. From Inputs to Markets: Strengthening the Value Chain Productivity alone, however, is insufficient to sustain rural livelihoods without reliable access to inputs, finance, and markets. To address this gap, Ethiopia’s rural transformation strategy integrates interventions across the entire agricultural value chain. The establishment of Agricultural One-Stop Shops (AOSS) has been central to this effort. More than 360 centers have been established nationwide, providing nearly 12 million farmers with improved access to inputs and extension services. These centers facilitate annual transactions estimated at ETB 3.5 billion and have created approximately 2,400 permanent jobs. Similarly, the Cooperative-Based Seed Production (CBSP) initiative strengthens access to quality seeds by partnering with cooperatives and private producers, supplying 15–17 percent of the country’s annual seed demand. To ease financing constraints, the Input Voucher System (IVS) has enabled 9.5 million farmers to access essential agricultural inputs, generating transactions worth more than ETB 48.4 billion. Farmers’ Experience: Evidence from the Field Beyond institutional metrics, the impact of the ACC program is reflected in the lived experience of farming communities, particularly in Oromia Region’s Arsi Zone. The ACC program has enhanced both productivity and livelihoods, according to farmers in the area. One beneficiary, Gezahegn Arega from Limuna Bilbilo district, told ENA that farmers previously struggled with low yields and inefficient practices before the introduction of the ACC program. According to him, the program enabled the establishment of mechanization centers and one-stop agricultural input shops, significantly improving crop production. “The support from ACC has significantly increased our crop yields. We now have better access to resources and training that is essential for our success.” Abdela Feyso, a member of a seed-producing farmers’ cooperative near Bekoji town, said training and access to certified seeds and agricultural machinery transformed how farmers approach production. He noted that adapting to new methods has led to improved harvests and higher incomes for both his family and the wider community. “We have now better access to markets which allow us to sell our produce at fair prices. This has made a huge difference in our livelihood.” Abera Tullu, a farmer in Digeluna Tijo district, emphasized that the ACC program fostered a strong sense of community among participating farmers. He explained that increased output has enabled farmers to produce surpluses, moving beyond subsistence livelihoods. Previously, the community lived hand-to-mouth; however, the introduction of mechanization and one-stop services has markedly improved livelihoods. Kemal Aman, another farmer from the same district, said agricultural mechanization and input services have significantly enhanced productivity. “Currently, we are producing an average of 60 quintals per hectare.” Abdurahman Haji, Manager of Galema Farmers’ Cooperative Union, noted that agricultural commercialization has generated collective benefits across the community. “We see improvements in local economies. These are encouraging to all of us.” Institutional Coordination and Scale Oromia Region ACC Director Zelalem Jaleta said the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute, in collaboration with farmers’ cooperative unions, has strengthened production infrastructure across the region. This includes the construction of 12 seed warehouses, installation of seed-cleaning machines, and establishment of four mechanization centers. He noted that the results demonstrate what is possible when institutional support, cooperative structures, and farmer participation align. Jobs, Youth, and the Migration Question Unemployment remains a major challenge in Ethiopia, particularly among young people. Over the next decade, more than 12 million individuals are expected to enter the working-age population, intensifying the need for sustainable job creation. In response, the Agricultural-focused Dignified Employment for Youth in Ethiopia (ADEY) program, implemented in partnership with Mastercard Foundation—supported by a USD 74.5 million investment—aims to create 611,000 sustainable jobs, with particular emphasis on young women. Building on the ACC platform, ADEY targets high-value agricultural commodities such as soybean, poultry, and dairy, while promoting skills development, access to finance, and agricultural entrepreneurship. For Ethiopia, youth employment is not only an economic imperative but also a critical lever in addressing migration pressures. Climate Resilience as a Core Strategy Climate resilience forms a central pillar of Ethiopia’s rural transformation agenda. The newly launched Agricultural Commercialization through Climate-Smart and Inclusive Innovations (ACC II) program aims to reinforce climate-smart agriculture, sustainable resource management, and adaptation strategies. Over five years, the initiative plans to support 6.5 million farmers by scaling climate-resilient practices across multiple agricultural systems. The program also designed to address the challenges faced by refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) through a humanitarian development peace approach, targeting the integration of over 300,000 individuals and enhancing their resilience to climate change and socioeconomic challenges. The establishment of Agribusiness Companies (ABCs) further strengthens resilience by linking cooperatives with private-sector models and improving access to output markets. Beyond agriculture, rural transformation also encompasses infrastructure development, including roads, telecommunications, and access to healthcare—foundations for stable and resilient rural communities. A Regional Reference Point Ethiopia’s rural transformation strategy—anchored in agricultural commercialization, job creation, and climate resilience—offers a comprehensive response to poverty and migration pressures. By strengthening livelihoods at their source, the approach addresses the root causes of rural-urban and cross-border migration. As climate pressures intensify across the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia’s experience illustrates how targeted rural transformation can restore opportunity, build resilience, and contribute to regional stability.

Addis Ababa, January 24, 2026 (ENA) Op-ed by Henok Tadele For centuries, the Abay, known beyond Ethiopia as the Blue Nile—has been spoken of as a river that merely passes through the country, rather than one that is born, nurtured, and sustained within it. The prevailing narrative often celebrates the river’s downstream legacy while overlooking the upstream stewardship that makes its journey possible. As a result, the lion’s share of Ethiopia’s contribution to the world’s longest river remains inadequately communicated, quietly flowing beneath the surface of global discourse. There is no dispute over the figures: nearly 86 percent of the Abay’s total flow originates from Ethiopia’s highlands. Yet numbers alone tell only part of the story. What remains largely absent from international conversations is how Ethiopia’s environmental policies, particularly the ambitious Green Legacy Initiative, have become a decisive force in protecting watersheds, restoring degraded landscapes, and safeguarding the ecological systems that feed the river year after year. Beyond being a mass tree-planting campaign, the Green Legacy Initiative represents a strategic act of green leadership—one that links climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and water sustainability. By stabilizing soils, replenishing groundwater, and reducing erosion in the Abay Basin, Ethiopia is not merely a source of the river but its guardian. Understanding the future of the Abay, therefore, demands looking beyond the water itself and toward the green vision that keeps its lifeline alive. Across Ethiopia’s highlands, riverbanks, and once-barren hillsides, something quietly historic has been unfolding. Year after year, millions of Ethiopians—farmers, students, civil servants, elders—have bent down to the soil and planted trees. Not as a symbolic gesture, but as a national commitment. The Green Legacy Initiative has now surpassed fifty billion trees, transforming degraded landscapes, stabilizing riverbanks, restoring ecosystems, and slowly replenishing groundwater that feeds the Abay river system itself. Surprisingly, Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative, launched in 2019, has emerged as one of the most ambitious environmental restoration efforts in the world. To date, more than 48 billion trees have been planted nationwide, with a significant share of strategically concentrated in the Abay Basin to rehabilitate degraded ecosystems and protect vital watersheds. This unprecedented effort has raised Ethiopia’s national forest coverage to 23.6 percent, delivering a decisive blow against deforestation while strengthening climate resilience and securing the long-term sustainability of the Abay River. This effort is not cheap. It demands labor, planning, time, and sacrifice from a country that is still struggling with poverty, climate shocks, and development gaps. Ethiopia did not undertake this project for applause, nor solely for itself. Forest cover improves rainfall patterns, reduces soil erosion, limits sedimentation of rivers, and stabilizes water flows downstream. In simple terms, a greener Ethiopia means a healthier Abay basin—one that benefits Sudan and, most of all, Egypt. Yet the burden of this ecological responsibility has been carried almost entirely by Ethiopians alone. It is also unfortunate Egypt, the wealthiest Abay Basin country and the largest downstream beneficiary of Ethiopia’s highlands, has not meaningfully contributed to this environmental effort—not financially, not technically, not even symbolically. Not a single major joint afforestation project. Not a regional green fund. Not a shared vision. This silence is striking, especially when viewed against Egypt’s massive spending on armaments, much of it justified in the name of “water security” and directed, implicitly or explicitly, at Ethiopia itself. Priorities reveal policy. And here, priorities are painfully misplaced. If Egypt had devoted even one-hundredth of its military expenditure toward supporting Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative —toward watershed protection, reforestation, and climate resilience—it would have been a gift not just to Ethiopia, but to the entire region, including Egypt itself. Trees do not threaten nations. Forests do not fire missiles. They stabilize water flows far more effectively than tanks ever could. Instead, Egypt’s approach to water security remains frozen in an earlier century: secure the Abay River by preventing others from touching it. Forbid upstream use. Preserve exclusive control. Treat cooperation as weakness and development elsewhere as danger. This mindset no longer fits the realities of the 21st century. Technology has moved on. Desalination, once prohibitively expensive, is now viable at scale. Countries far smaller and with fewer resources have embraced it decisively. Israel, for example, has secured its water future through large-scale desalination, recycling, and efficiency. It produces surplus water—enough to refill natural lakes and even supply neighbors. This is what strategic thinking looks like: invest in solutions, not fears. Egypt, by contrast, continues to pour billions into weapons while facing mounting urban growth, and climate vulnerability—without building comparable desalination capacity. This is not a question of capability, but of choice. More troubling still is the insistence that Ethiopia should be forbidden from using its own natural resources. All relevant international water principles and treaties recognize the right of upstream countries to equitable and reasonable utilization of shared rivers. Ethiopia is not violating international law by using the Nile; it is exercising a right long denied through colonial-era arrangements that excluded it entirely. Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative stands as a powerful counter-argument to fear-based politics. It shows what responsibility looks like: investing in ecology, thinking long-term, and acting for the common good even when others do not. But responsibility should not be mistaken for submission, nor generosity for silence. The Nile’s future will not be secured by intimidation or outdated claims of exclusivity. It will be secured by cooperation, modern technology, shared investment, and mutual respect. Ethiopia has already shown its hand—green, open, and forward-looking. The question is whether others are willing to do the same. History will not remember who bought more weapons. It will remember who planted trees, preserved water, and chose life over fear.