Nation Making Significant Strides in Cluster Farming, Needs More Mechanization: Ministry

Addis Ababa October 20, 2023 (ENA) Ministry of Agriculture stated that it is making significant strides in cluster farming and needs to do more on mechanization.

During his presser, Agriculture Minister Girma Amente said the seasonal cultivations are going well in Ethiopia. 

The country was able to cover 17.5 million hectares of land with seeds in the past Meher season, a little bit over the 17.4 target. 

Out of the total cultivation, 8.6 million hectares of land was cultivated in cluster farming. 

According to the Minister, 2.4 million hectares of land was planned to be cultivated during the Belg season and able to attain more than 2.7 hectares. 

However, half of the cluster farms used mechanized farming.

Thus, he stressed the need to bolster mechanization in the sector. 

The ministry planned to import 23 million fertilizer for Ethiopian year 2016/17 production seasons, he said, noting that it purchased over 13 million quintals of the fertilizer last month.