Medemer State Vision Catalyzes Leap in Agricultural Productivity, Says Ministry

ADDIS ABABA, December 4, 2025 (ENA) — Agriculture State Minister, Melese Mekonen said driven by the Medemer State vision a significant transformation has registered in the agricultural sector in Ethiopia.

According to him, the sector has successfully shifted from mere subsistence farming to producing market-oriented crops in unprecedented variety, quantity, and quality.

As detailed in Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s book, The Medemer State, agricultural development in Ethiopia had previously concentrated heavily on smallholder plots. While this approach managed to improve household per capita income to a degree, it failed to generate the surplus necessary to feed the broader market or support industrial growth.

The Prime Minister’s work underscores the necessity of moving beyond satisfying immediate household consumption. The text argues that the sector must evolve to generate surplus production capable of meeting both commercial market demands and the growing appetite of the industrial sector. It further indicates that adhering to small-scale, fragmented farming practices alone is insufficient to achieve the required sectoral transformation.

The State Minister recalled previous misconceptions which suggested that Ethiopia’s fragmented land holdings made high-level market production impossible.

However, he stated that practical measures taken following the national reform have successfully dismantled this narrative.

Through the lens of the Medemer State vision, the implementation of cluster farming has organized farmers with small plots, enabling them to look beyond their own needs and supply the national market.

The state minister explained that Medemer involves identifying, pooling, and accumulating national capacities to ensure a true agricultural transformation. Consequently, farmers have transitioned to delivering high-quality agricultural products suitable for agro-processing and commercial trade.

Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute Director General Dr. Mandefro Nigussie emphasized that sustaining this growth requires a continued shift in work culture and mindset.

 

 

He noted that utilizing time, technology, and human capital effectively is decisive for the sector's advancement, necessitating consolidated capacity and enhanced cooperation.

Officials highlighted that the new perspective derived from the Medemer State has fostered stronger collaboration among the government, farmers, investors, and development partners than ever before.

This alignment realizes the concept that rural transformation demands synergy. By coordinating the capacity of all actors and positioning agriculture as a central investment hub, the government is registering concrete results, with many farmers now graduating to the status of investors.