Addis Ababa: Eyasu Elias, Ethiopia’s Minister of State for Agriculture, has described its adoption of a step-by-step soil restoration strategy as a critical approach to a broader commitment to sustainable development and climate resilience.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the minister made the description at the launch of the soil restoration programme, stating that the initiative goes beyond merely providing temporary solutions. The programme will focus its efforts in three particularly vulnerable regions of Amhara, Oromia, and Central Ethiopia, where soil degradation has reached alarming levels.
The initiative combines Ethiopia’s proven Green Legacy reforestation strategies with innovative regenerative farming techniques. Farmers will receive hands-on training in contour farming, organic fertilisation, and climate-adaptive water conservation methods through a network of field schools. Recognising the pivotal role of women in agriculture, the programme includes special provisions to ensure female farmers, who manage nearly half of smallholder operations, can fully participate in and benefit from the training.
Government officials outlined a phased implementation approach, beginning with demonstration plots to showcase effective techniques before expanding to wider areas. A robust monitoring system will track improvements in soil quality and crop yields throughout the duration of the programme. The soil revival programme forms part of Ethiopia’s broader commitment to sustainable development and climate resilience. It builds upon existing soil amendment efforts while introducing new, locally adapted solutions to restore the nation’s agricultural productivity for future generations.