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September 16, 2008, Awassa (ENA) - The 7th Organizational
Conference of the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic
Front (EPRDF), which is in progress in Awassa town of the
South Ethiopia Peoples’ State, underscored the need to carry
out balanced agricultural and rural development intervention
activities in regions with abundant rainfall and that of
rainfall-deficit areas of the nation.
In its deliberations on Tuesday, the conference thoroughly
discussed the achievements registered in the agriculture and
rural development sector during the last two years and on
priority areas of the sector for the coming years.
There is a need to enable areas with abundant rainfall and
that of rainfall-deficit parts of the nation equitably benefit
from agricultural and rural development schemes, according to
the conference.
Hence, expansion and utilization of improved agricultural
technologies shall be a priority in areas with abundant
rainfall in order to boost agricultural production and
productivity in such parts of the country.
Accordingly, agricultural and rural development intervention
activities geared toward ensuring sustainable food security
shall further be strengthened among the rainfall-deficit areas
of the nation.
According to the report, over 48,000 agricultural extension
professionals have been trained and deployed in different
parts of the country with a view to institutionalizing
improved agricultural technologies among the rural localities
of the nation.
Agricultural production of the nation reached 16.45 million
metric tons in the 2000 E.C. which was 10.37 million metric
tons in 1996 E.C. Similarly, agricultural productivity in the
country improved to 17 quintals per hectare in 2000 E.C from
only 11.9 per hectare previously.
Expansion of financial institutions and provision of financial
services has been carried out among the rural localities of
the nation in order to strengthen the rural economy, it said,
adding rural banks and cooperatives have been established in
rural localities.
The conference underscored the need to narrow the gap that
exists between exemplary farmers and local farmers in the
years ahead. It also stressed the need to enable women and
youth in the rural localities benefit from women and youth
development packages in the coming two years.
Expansion of large-scale private floricultural and
horticultural development enterprises in suitable areas of the
country shall also be carried out in the years to come besides
strengthening environmental protection activities throughout
the nation. (END) |
