Rockefeller Foundation Praises Ethiopia’s Food Sovereignty Programs as Effective and Exemplary

Addis Ababa, July 26, 2025 (ENA) -- The Rockefeller Foundation has praised #Ethiopia’s food sovereignty programs, describing them as effective, proven, and exemplary.

Betty Kibara, the Foundation’s Food Initiative Director, told ENA that Ethiopia’s efforts in food sovereignty stand out as a model for other nations.

Recalling the Foundation’s core mission focused on advancing human security, particularly in the areas of food, energy, and health and actively working across African countries for over the past 60 years, Kibara noted that it has found Ethiopia a country with its own initiatives like the Green Legacy.

According to her, the foundation has partnered with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and other stakeholders to support the transformation of Ethiopia’s food systems.

She commended the country's food sovereignty initiatives, describing them as commendable and impactful, especially in the context of its renewable energy and crop improvement programs.

The director also underscored the success of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative, implemented over the past six years, as a clear demonstration of the government’s commitment to combating climate change.

The initiative not only increases forest coverage but also creates jobs and contributes significantly to food sovereignty, making it a model for other countries, she added.

Kibara further applauded Ethiopia’s progress in cultivating wheat through irrigation beyond traditional farming seasons, describing it as a replicable model for food security across the continent.

“It is quite exciting to see the government’s investments, particularly in coupling irrigation with wheat production. This could make Ethiopia self-reliant in wheat,” she said, emphasizing Ethiopia’s strategy of organizing smallholder farmers into cooperatives as another exemplary approach.

She also noted that the integrated development programs the country has been performing are improving agricultural productivity and expanding access to protein-rich foods for local communities.

Kibara also emphasized that Ethiopia’s food security strategies not only deliver tangible results but also provide valuable lessons for other countries working to achieve similar goals.

“Ethiopia is a shining example. No one is waiting for someone from outside to tell them to plant trees, everyone is planting trees. These trees contribute to carbon capture and environmental improvement,” she underscored.

The expansion of fruit tree planting under the Green Legacy Initiative has transformative potential. “These trees are consumed locally and may even be exported. This initiative has significantly increased Ethiopia’s tree cover. It’s truly exciting.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming Second United Nations Food Systems Summit, which will be co-hosted by Ethiopia and Italy from July 20–22, 2017 Ethiopian fiscal year, Kibara expressed optimism that the summit would provide an opportunity to learn from Ethiopia’s experience.

“We want to understand how Ethiopia successfully translates its policies into action, something many countries struggle with,” she said. “These are the kinds of lessons we hope to take from the summit and replicate in other African nations.”