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PRESS RELEASE
EIAR and AGRA Launch New Breeding Initiative to Increase Productivity of Key Grain Crops in Ethiopia
Three-year initiative will boost household food security and incomes through introduction of high-yielding varieties in Ethiopia
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The Alliance for a Green Revolution (AGRA) will invest over US$ 1 million to reach directly and indirectly more than 200,000 smallholder farmers in Ethiopia.
The majority of Ethiopians rely on these key grain crops for their calorie and protein intake, but yields are currently low. This initiative will help to improve the food security situation through developing and deploying more than 10 improved crop varieties better than varieties on farmers hand and previously released and promoting these among farmers. The initiative will also build capacity among researchers, extension agents, and public-private seed companies, and enhance the linkages between all the seed value chain players of target crops.
The initiative will be implemented through various EIAR research hubs/centers at Bako, Debre Zeit, Melkasa, Kulumsa and Pawe.
Dr. Adeferis Teklewolde, Crop Research Director at EIAR says: “Ethiopian farmers face a number of constraints, such as drought, diseases and insect pests that, combined together, greatly lower their yields. This initiative will introduce crop varieties that can better withstand these constraints, thereby contributing to improved food security in Ethiopia.”
Joe DeVries, Director for AGRA’s Program for African seed Systems (PASS) which oversees the program, says: “AGRA is pleased to have this opportunity to work with the Ethiopian Government to tackle a key bottleneck to farmers’ productivity. Through this collaboration, 20 tons of breeder and foundation seeds – the basic seed multiplied and sold to farmers – will be availed to seed enterprises annually.”
Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
For more information, please visit www.agra.org or contact:
Sylvia Mwichuli
Director, Communications and Public Affairs
Tel: +254.20.3675.000
Mobile: +254.736.880.620
Anne Wangalachi
Communications Officer
Tel : +254.20.3675.000
Mobile: +254.736.230.600
For more information on EIAR please visit www.eiar.gov.et or contact:
Tel: +251 11646 0380 / +251 11645 4452
About the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
AGRA is a dynamic partnership working across the African continent to help millions of small-scale farmers and their families lift themselves out of poverty and hunger. AGRA programs develop practical solutions to significantly boost farm productivity and incomes for the poor while safeguarding the environment. AGRA advocates for policies that support its work across all key aspects of the African agricultural value chain from seeds, soil health and water to markets and agricultural education.
AGRA's Board of Directors is chaired by Kofi A Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations. Ms. Jane Karuku, is AGRA's president. With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK's Department for International Development and other donors, AGRA works across sub-Saharan Africa and maintains offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and Accra, Ghana
About Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR)
The Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research is one of the oldest and largest agricultural research institutes in Africa. EIAR was established in 1966 by Proclamation. It was then called Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR).
EIAR has four national core mandates
Multiplication of agricultural technologies availing improved agricultural technologies
Popularization (pre scaling up) of improved agricultural technologies
Coordination of the National Agricultural Research System
EIAR has made tremendous efforts to build the national capacity of doing agricultural research, produce, and introduce improved technologies, focusing on fostering agricultural growth and development in the country. As a result, over the last four decades, the release of improved technologies in crops, livestock, soils and water, forestry and agricultural mechanization has dramatically increased. To date, the contribution of improved agricultural technologies generated and introduced by EIAR has become an engine in the national economy.
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