Ethiopia’s Crippled Agriculture (Analysis)

But, he is not a fulltime beggar. A month ago he was at property with his wife and two youngsters in Mugad, Weldya of Amhara region, which is some 300 kms from Addis Ababa. He is a farmer who owns a plot of land his family sliced to him when got married eleven years ago.

“We can’t earn sufficient from agriculture for living since our land size is too little and we can only harvest once in a year,” says Birrara, whose land size enables him to produce up to five quintals of sorghum or teff in the course of good harvest season.  

“The land is not suitable for irrigation either and I do not want to be in debt by making use of fertilizer as the size is too small. I would rather prefer leaving my home seeking other ‘shekl’(organization) in diverse part of the country right after the harvest,” he says.      

For Birrara and hundreds of farmers this is the season they leave their residence and exile to other parts of the country to make extra income and feed their family members.

For the past 3 weeks, he was working as a every day laborer in Minjar region of Amhara region, which is recognized for producing quality teff – the principal dish of Ethiopia.

He was lucky and returned to Addis Ababa with a total of two,300 birr by harvesting teff farm of wealthy farmers. He earned 200 birr per hectare for his service. “Thanks to God, now I will go back property and come back next year for comparable Shekl,” says the father of 7 and 10 years old boys.  

Only the younger boy goes to school although the older 1 stays at residence supporting the loved ones. He feeds the cow and ox of the family members, collect firewood and help his mother fetching water.

He does all agriculture related activities, according to Birrara, whose choice on his older son’s life appears totally opposite to his name’s meaning, which indicates, ‘if he has sympathy’.   
Ethiopia’s tiny-hold farm is typically identified for its rainfall dependency. Century old standard farming program and lack of reasonably priced modern agricultural inputs are also often mentioned as amongst the causes that lead to low production.

Issues associated with extensive grazing systems such as deforestation and the growing degradation of rangelands and water sources due to unsustainable management practices also require attention to make productive tiny-holder agriculture in Ethiopia….