Ministry Strategizes to Enhance Mechanization, Urban Agriculture in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, December 27, 2025 (ENA)— The Ministry of Agriculture is committed to transforming the ongoing mechanization and urban agriculture efforts in order to ensure food sovereignty, Agriculture Minister Addisu Arega said.  

Speaking at a forum organized for senior regional and federal government officials as well as professionals today, the Minister noted that mechanization of agriculture and urban agriculture significantly contribute toward the effort of ensuring food sovereignty and improving the nutrition food system.

 

 

Therefore, intensifying efforts to transform the agriculture sector, including raising awareness among the farmers is crucial, he added.

According to him, intervention is strongly needed to transforming the sector through mechanization.

Thus, the government has been providing various incentives, including duty-free import machineries such as tractors and combine harvesters to be leveraged through time.

Utilizing the machineries, about 6.3 million hectares of land have been developed over the past years, it was learned.

Besides availing machineries for the sector, capacity building and maintenance of machineries as well as assembling the machines at home need to be intensified, the Minister said.

With respect to urban agriculture, Addisu stated that the sub-sector would significantly contribute to improving food nutrition, creating jobs, and boosting national food production.

Consequently, the ministry is designing strategies, including utilizing idle land areas for farming, creating awareness among urban people on ways of farming.

However, the Minister pointed out that a system needs to be established to provide continued support and make urban agriculture a custom among urban residents.

Addisu said urban agriculture can minimize household food cost by 10 –20 percent and create 35 percent additional jobs.

The two strategies for mechanization and urban farming are designed in alignment with Medemer concept that focuses on enhancing existing capacity, utilizing untapped potentials such as water and arable land, boosting agriculture inputs, leveraging modern technology, and linking the agriculture sector with industry, the Minister elaborated.

The half-day forum organized by the ministry discussed about ways of enhancing concerted efforts to transform the agriculture sector through mechanization and expansion of urban agriculture.