An article on DevEx looks at the contribution agricultural research has made to development in the Horn of Africa – particularly Ethiopia - in the past 30 years since devastating famine hit the region.
“While recurring droughts have continued to plague the northeastern part of the African continent,” writes Frank Rijsberman, CEO of the CGIAR Consortium, “the region has also experienced a dramatic improvement in its food systems from a generation ago, thanks at least in part to agricultural research”.
Rijsberman outlines how work by the CGIAR in Ethiopia has played a critical role, including that by the World Agroforestry Centre to maximize the benefits of growing trees and crops side by side.
For example, when maize is grown under a canopy of Faidherbia trees, yields of up to 5 tons per hectare can be achieved compared to 2 tons per hectare outside the canopy. The trees help to increase soil fertility, providing a natural source of nitrogen, potassium and organic carbon. The Centre is working in the Bako and Melkasa regions of Ethiopia to develop locally suitable agroforestry techniques that will improve crop yield while ensuring environmental sustainability.
Other CGIAR initiatives in Ethiopia mentioned in the article are:
- The AgriTechn Toolbox developed by the International Food Policy Research Institute which can determine which agricultural technologies will be the most effective for boosting crop yields in the face of climate change between now and 2050
- New rice varieties developed by the International Rice Research Institute which are better able to withstand pests, diseases, climate change and drought
- The identification of genetically robust livestock in the Oromia region of Ethiopia by the International Livestock Research Institute
- Improvements to Ethiopia’s agricultural value chains through the Improving Productivity and Market Success of Ethiopian Farmers research program
While Rijsberman acknowledges that the road is still long, he believes that “if agricultural research continues to be prioritized by Ethiopia and the wider African continent, vast changes can be made”.
Read the full story: How agricultural research is creating a different future
