Ministry Urges Mass Mobilization to Save Mature Crops from Untimely Rain

ENA November  21/2019 Ministry of Agriculture has called for massive mobilization of the public to withstand the effects of the untimely rain and locust infestation that can hinder the nation from meeting the crop target it set for the harvest season.

Briefing journalists today, Agriculture Extension Director-General, Germamie Garuma said it has become difficult to control the desert locusts from Yemen and Somaliland, though 95 percent of the locust damage was controlled through preventive measures beginning in June, 2019.

On top of this, the untimely rain is creating anxiety as it may damage the mature crops not yet harvested.

Germamie stated that the forecast does not look helpful as there will be untimely rainfall in Oromia, Amhara, Gambella, Benishangul-Gumz and Somali regional states.

The director-general urged citizens to help collect the mature crops as fast as possible through social mobilization at all levels to save the crops.

The ministry has established a command post that coordinates the social mobilization from the federal to the regional levels, he revealed.

Some 900 combiners are actively engaged in harvesting, the director-general said, adding that students, soldiers, government and private employees need to also join the mobilization campaign in harvesting the crops.

The government has allocated over 30 million birr for pesticides, machineries and mobilization, it was learned.