Ethiopia: Oromia’s Agricultural Reform Drives Nat’l Food Sovereignty Vision

ADDIS ABABA – Oromia State is taking bold steps toward transforming agriculture, setting a national example for food sovereignty and sustainable rural development.

This was the central theme of the third phase of the Oromia Agricultural Transformation Council Forum held at the state office here yesterday.

During the forum, Oromia State Chief Administrator Shimelis Abdisa emphasized the importance of evaluating the current development efforts to ensure they align with modern agricultural practices.

He called on the council to assess the progress of the cluster farming initiative and work decisively to meet its goals. Shimelis also underscored the need to overhaul agricultural extension systems, making them knowledge- and technology-driven to boost productivity across all cluster levels.

He stressed that improving water resource management and expanding mechanization are essential to help farmers supply their products directly to the market and reduce post-harvest inefficiencies.

Agriculture Minister Girma Amantee (PhD) echoed these points, noting that while progress has been made in recent years, much remains to be done. He praised Oromia for leading the way in agricultural development and urged local leadership to intensify efforts toward even greater achievements.

Girma highlighted that challenges remain, particularly in the coordinated marketing of agricultural products, which limits the potential impact of increased production. He urged all stakeholders to understand their roles clearly and commit to the vision of the Agricultural Transformation Council.