EIAR, ILRI Launch Land Information Service Project

Addis Ababa January 23/2023  The Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) in collaboration with International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) has launched the Land, Soil and Crop Information Service Project.

This was made public at the stakeholders ‘awareness raising event on the Development of Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA), which contributes to the implementation of climate smart agriculture and increase agricultural productivity.

Speaking at the launching program, Advisor to the state minister at the Ministry of Agriculture, Anteneh Fekadu said that Ethiopian agriculture faces multiple challenges as manifested in climate change and variability, soil fertility depletion and soil erosion at large—resulting in huge yield gap thus undermining the national effort to attain food and nutrition security.

Such a giant development need cannot be achieved in a business as usual way doing things, he said.

Soil and water research director at EIAR, Birru Yitaferu on his part said the project is highly relevant and timely in terms of increasing stakeholders' awareness and strengthening efforts of adapting to climate change through promoting integrated agricultural research and introduction of appropriate technologies into agricultural extension services in Ethiopia.

He further explained that the knowledge and information service of this project supports extension workers and other service providers to grasp techniques and tools of climate smart agriculture to enable farmers cope up with climate induced shocks.

Scientist for climate smart agriculture and policy at ILRI Kenya, John Recha also said the objective of the project is to develop land, soil and crop information service hub in the EIAR.

He added information in one center is not enough to do research, he said adding that volume of data is important for decision making.

The project is implemented in three countries, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Kenya, it was learnt.