Agency Plans to Benefit At Least 6 Million Farmers in 5 Years

Addis Ababa December 10/2020 (ENA) The Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) revealed that it plans to benefit at least six million farmers in the coming five years.

The agency, which unveiled its 10-year strategy aligned with the Home Grown Economic Reform today, stated that the plan would benefit at least six million farmers in the coming five  years.

ATA Senior Director at the CEO’s Office, Yifru Tafesse told ENA that the agency has planned to transform and benefit the farmers from small-scale irrigation, agricultural commercialization clusters (ACC) initiative, livestock developments, off farm jobs.

The ATA will expand from its focus on crop commodities in Amhara, Oromia, SNNP and Tigray regions and  engage in the livestock sector in the emerging regions in the coming 10 years,Yifru stated.

He, however, pointed out that lack of financial accessibility for the sector poses major challenge to achieve the plan.

“Agriculture brings over 90 percent of the country’s foreign currency, but the finance allocated for the sector is less than 10 percent. This is a big challenge and needs attention from the government, especially Ministry of Agriculture,” he underscored.

According to him, overall collaboration of stakeholders and leadership stability in all levels of the offices is also necessary to accomplish the plan and sustain the achievements.

ATA has delivered more than 250 action-oriented strategic studies of which nearly 80 percent  have been implemented or used for decision-making in the past 10 years, and implemented 48 innovative and large-scale strategic projects

since inception, it was learned.

Agriculture Minister Oumer Hussein said on the occasion the commitment of the government will continue for transforming the agriculture sector.

ATA has been instrumental in supporting the ministry by addressing systemic bottlenecks of the sector in the past 10 years, he pointed out.

The agriculture sector represents about 32 percent of the country's GDP, contributing 66 percent employment.