Addis ababa: In the run-up to the 2nd UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4), a high-level panel discussion underscored Ethiopia’s agricultural revolution as a catalyst for advancing food and nutritional outcomes. The panel discussion, jointly organized by the Ethiopian News Agency and Ethiopia’s Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI), provided a comprehensive platform to examine the national food and nutrition strategy from a broad and strategic perspective.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, over the past six years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Ethiopian government has pursued a path of multidimensional prosperity, placing agriculture at the center of its efforts to transform the national nutrition system through strategic initiatives and impactful programs. These efforts are centered on enhancing food security, advancing the production of diverse and nutritious foods, and reinforcing multi-sectoral coordination to ensure a resilient and inclusive food system in Ethiopia.
This has significantly bolstered Ethiopia’s position, as the country is widely recognized for its leadership during the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and the UNFSS+2 in 2023. To this end, the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub has officially selected Ethiopia, in partnership with Italy, to co-host the 2nd UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake, scheduled for the end of this month.
Today’s panel discussion, held under the theme ‘From Vision to Action: Ethiopia’s Path to Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Food System,’ brought together key stakeholders from across the country’s food and nutrition system. The event amplified Ethiopia’s ongoing strategies and initiatives, highlighting the country’s significant progress in strengthening its nutrition system and advancing toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
Opening the panel discussion, Mandefro Niguse, Director-General of the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute, emphasized that Ethiopia has launched comprehensive strategies and initiatives aimed at transforming its food systems at the national level. Referring to the global commitment to achieve food systems transformation by 2030, he highlighted Ethiopia’s initiatives and pointed out that the country has delivered results over the past six years.
Stressing the importance of a food systems approach that passes through a proper food chain process, the director-general mentioned that Ethiopia has addressed interconnected drivers in the context of the country’s unique challenges and opportunities. This success story has played a pivotal role in positioning Ethiopia to host the upcoming 2nd UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4).
With the summit expected to attract thousands of participants from UN member states and serve as a critical milestone for global food systems transformation, the Director-General called for extensive media promotion and coverage from the Ethiopian capital to reflect the event’s significance.
On his part, Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) CEO, Seife Deribe, noted that as Ethiopia is undertaking agricultural initiatives in pursuit of national prosperity, the role of the media has become critical in informing, engaging, and mobilizing the public. Highlighting the leading role of ENA, Seife stated that the agency stands at the forefront of promoting agricultural development initiatives, providing news coverage, and organizing panel discussions at the national level and beyond.
The CEO also reaffirmed ENA’s commitment to delivering news and content coverage across key development sectors, with a particular emphasis on agriculture. Currently, Ethiopia has employed investment in technologies, modernization, and mechanization in the country’s agriculture sector over the past six years.
Accordingly, the country has become self-sufficient in wheat and cereals, Dr. Firew Tegegn, Deputy Director-General of ATI, said on his part. Firew, who also presented a paper during the panel discussion, underscored that Ethiopia’s major agricultural initiatives, such as the ‘Bounty of the Basket,’ summer irrigation programs, and the Green Legacy Initiative, are contributing to improving food and nutrition across the country.
According to the report, since Ethiopia adopted a nutritional security approach, the country has seen an increase of 20 to 45 percent in the production of milk, meat, eggs, honey, and even fish over the past few years.