Ministry Builds Up Irrigation Efforts

Dec 16 , 2023


[ssba-buttons]

In a bid to revamp the summer wheat irrigation across the country, over half a billion Birr worth of pumps were procured under the Ministry of Agriculture. Minister Girma Amente (PhD), announced the purchase of 12,617 pumps at the Ministry's headquarters around Gurd Shola last week. He revealed that 1,600 pumps have been distributed to regional states while the rest are expected to arrive from Djibouti ports. Girma urged regional agricultural bureaus to build up their efforts in distributing the pumps as the federal government laid out plans to see 810 million quintals of grain farmed from 22 million hectares of land this year. The Agriculture sector remains the highest employer in Ethioipa's labour market with around 75pc and contributes 80pc of exports while it accounts for 40pc of GDP. The reshuffle in the purchase of fertiliser this year saw 14.9 million quintals purchased already from the 19 million target. It is part of a spirited effort by the Ministry to vitalize the sector, which faces challenges in the form of drought and conflict in several parts of the country. Meles Mekonen, state minister for Agriculture, noted the wheat production last year as emblematic of the country's rich potential and long-term prospects of self-sufficiency.


Radar

New Directive Tightens Rules for Foreign Employment Agencies

The Ministry of Labour & Skills has issued a directive under the Ethiopian foreign employment framework, setting clear standards for agency size, capital, and operations. Depending on their level, newly established agencies can serve between 10 and over 100 workers a day. Office space requirements range from 100sqm to 700sqm, tied to operational scale. Level-one agencies must hold a paid-up capital of 20 million Br and place a security deposit of 250,000 dollars or its birr equivalent...


Radar

Audit Findings Expose Deepening Gaps in Accountability

A new study reveals that audit irregularities in Ethiopia have continued to rise year after year, driven by weak enforcement and unresolved legacy problems. The finding, commissioned by the Office of the Federal Auditor General (OFAG) and conducted by independent researchers from Addis Abeba University, examined audit reports covering 2009–2023. The study attributes the persistent irregularities to limited accountability, poor follow-up, and reduced audit coverage during political transitio...


Radar

Africa Maritime Conference Sets Sights on Seafaring Innovation

The Ministry of Transport & Logistics has launched the first-ever Africa Maritime Conference, marking a bold move to position landlocked Ethiopia as a continental hub for seafaring innovation at a time of global talent shortages. At a pre-conference briefing, Frans Joubert, CEO of YCF Manning Ltd, underscored Africa's untapped potential in the maritime sector. Of the 1.9 million seafarers worldwide, only four percent are African—despite the continent hosting around 150 maritime academie...