IGAD Irrigation Strategy Crucial for Food Security, Sustainable Water Mgt:  Irrigation & Lowland Ministry

Addis Ababa, November 3, 2025 (ENA) –The Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands described the newly proposed IGAD Irrigation Strategy as a critical measure for enhancing food security and sustainable water management across the region.

A three-day regional validation meeting for the strategy is currently underway in Addis Ababa.

In his opening remarks, Yared Mulat, Lead Executive Officer for Irrigation Projects Study and Design at the Ministry, emphasized the pressing challenges faced by IGAD member states, particularly the adverse effects of frequent droughts.

Yared stressed that the adoption of sustainable irrigation practices is not merely an option but a necessity, especially in light of rapid population growth and escalating food demands.

He added that the current agricultural situation poses significant risks to the region's food security: over 75 percent of farmers rely on rain-fed agriculture, which occupies only 7 percent of the IGAD region's land, and irrigated agriculture contributes less than 2 percent to total production.

"Advancing irrigation in our agriculture sector is the most direct path to improving agricultural productivity, securing rural livelihoods, and reducing poverty," he stated.

The commitment to sustainable agricultural water management was reaffirmed at the highest levels during a 2019 summit where African leaders underscored the urgency of prioritizing irrigation development in line with continental frameworks such as the AU Agenda 2063 and the Malabo Declaration.

In this regard, Ethiopia has been at the forefront of these efforts, aligning its national strategies with the broader objectives for irrigation development, he noted.

He stated that Ethiopia's national strategies including the Ten Years Development Plan and the National Smallholder Irrigation and Drainage Strategy, place a strong emphasis on agricultural water management aligned with the AU’s four key development pathways for irrigation.

The Ethiopian government has implemented robust programs focused on soil and water conservation, rainwater harvesting, and watershed management to mitigate climate-related vulnerabilities, he noted.

According to Yared, Ethiopia is heavily investing in small-scale and household irrigation projects to ensure that every farmer has access to at least one reliable water source for either supplementary or full irrigation. This drive aims to significantly enhance agricultural productivity while simultaneously advancing large, medium, and small irrigation schemes across the country.

He noted that initiatives such as Irrigated Wheat Production, Irrigated Rice Production, and the Green Legacy Initiative are already yielding transformative impacts that resonate beyond national borders.

The lead executive director also indicated that given Africa's vast untapped resources, there is significant potential for collaborative regional irrigation frameworks to foster a more productive and resilient future.

He pointed to the ongoing validation workshop for the IGAD Irrigation Strategy as a crucial step toward promoting investment in irrigation and ensuring sustainable water access for both agricultural and human needs.

On his part, IGAD Economic Cooperation and Regional Integration Director, Mohyeldeen Eltohami emphasized on the region's ongoing challenges include inadequate water resources and poor crop productivity.

The director reiterated the need for effective water management to meet both agricultural and non-agricultural demands.

He said that IGAD irrigation strategy is a response to the irrigation infrastructure development and agricultural water management challenges.

In this respect, the IGAD Irrigation Strategy would foster investment in irrigation and ensure sustainable water access, thereby enhancing food production and regional food security, he added.

Underscoring a collaborative effort to address food insecurity and promote sustainable water management in the IGAD region, the director noted that the validation workshop on IGAD Irrigation strategy would enable to gather valuable inputs to strengthen the draft strategy and develop an implementation plan for individual member states.