New Agricultural Strategies Central to Food, Nutrition Security & Sovereignty: Agriculture Minister  

Addis Ababa ,April 13/2024(ENA) The agricultural strategies launched with a view to contributing to the food systems transformation in Ethiopia are expressions of the country's commitment to food, nutrition security ,and sovereignty, Agriculture Minister Girma Amante said. 

The ministry launched the three strategies: National Food Safety and Quality Strategy for Primary Agricultural Produce, National Nutrition Sensitive Agrifood Systems Strategy, and Post-Harvest Management Strategy today.  

 

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Agriculture Minister Girma said the strategies are central to Ethiopia’s commitment to food and nutrition security and sovereignty. 

The strategies are critical contributors to attain food security, enhance health, and improve economic welfare as well as livelihood, he added.

According to him, 30 percent of the food in developing countries is lost between production and consumption, before it reaches consumers.

“One of the strategies I mentioned is therefore a post-harvest management strategy designed to reduce post-harvest loss,” the minster stated.

Furthermore, Girma noted that ensuring food safety remains a challenge and the economic burden of food-borne diseases in low and middle income countries is significantly high.  

These problems are witnessed in Ethiopia, negatively impacting health, nutrition, inclusive growth and the economy at large.

Consequently, the ministry has developed nationally important strategies that are crucial to the efforts to attain food and nutrition security, one of the outcomes of the Ethiopian food system transformation.

The strategies provide a roadmap that helps to make informed decision, allocate resources, and increase success.   

Therefore, “we must now harness our collective knowledge, experience and resourcefulness to implement the strategies, drive growth, overcome challenges and capitalize on opportunities along the food systems value chain,” the minister said.

 

FAO Country Representative Farayi Zimudzi told the Ethiopian News Agency that from FAO's point of view, these strategies are absolutely critical for food security as well as for functioning, efficient and strong food systems.

As we know, food systems are made up by many different parts and issues of nutrition critical, issues of the safety of the food that people are eating, and also managing the losses that can come once food is produced.

“So, all those three (strategies) are very important to achieving the country's aspirations towards food self-sufficiency and food security in the country. Without those three, it will not be possible  for food security to be attained. So, in our view these are absolutely important.”

The FAO representative commended the government and people of Ethiopia for developing the   strategies, adding that “I think the key challenge now is to implement the strategies and make sure that the strategies are put into action.”