Basin Development on Right Track, Says Ministry of Agriculture

Addis Ababa March 22/2019 The progress of basin development program is critical to achieve Ethiopia’s dream of realizing climate resilient green economy, according to Ministry of Agriculture (MoR).

Reforestation, reviving springs, terracing and irrigation have been among the significant achievements of Ethiopia during the past three years.

The plan for the second GTP period till last Ethiopian budget year was to execute 18,742 community-based basin development schemes while the performance reached 20, 748, registering 110 percent growth.

MoR Public Relations Head, Alemayehu Berhanu told ENA that Ethiopia’s natural resources conservation activity is a model for the rest of the world.

Soil and water conservation works covered 6.1 million hectares of land, which is 174 percent of the plan, during the past three-year.

 “The recent recognition of the basin development of Ethiopia at the global stage shows the country’s commitment in realizing green growth economy is on the right track. The basin development scheme of Ethiopia is recognized as a model and competing with the sophisticated Brazil and China basin development activities,” he pointed out.

The Ethiopian basin development is nowadays integrated and planned unlike being the seasonal campaigns in the past, the head stated.

Some 3.5 million hectares of barren land has been rehabilitated by freeing it from animal contact during the second GTP period. Besides, 1.5 million hectares of land was covered by 15.1 billion seedlings, an increase of 8.5 percent as compared to the initial period three years ago.

 “Starting from day one, our basin development activities have been effective and productive. Even at times where the areas are not conducive for operation due to various seasonal conflicts, farmers have been managing the activities by their own. So, they have to be praised for their immense efforts.”

Furthermore, Alemayehu said farmers are taking basin development activity as tradition. “Once we showed them the significance of the program, they absorb it easily and operate as owners.”

The basin development activities are integrated and supportive for irrigation and other developmental activities. For instance, the terracing activities in lowland areas of Oromia, Amhara, Tigry, and SNNP regional states are being used as sources of water for various purposes, the head stated.

Ministry Senior Soil and Water Conservation expert, Getu Mamo, said the performance report of the country’s basin development activities show sustainable progress in recent years in terms of volume, participation of the community, and watershed plan preparation, among others.

 “The basin development activities are critical to resist the climate change induced impacts and to create climate resilient community. It also enables us to build resilience at national level,” Getu added.

The Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) Strategy, which is made up of climate resilienceand green economy main components, envisions developing a green economy by 2025 as a middle income country.