The irrigated wheat initiative of Ethiopia: a new paradigm emulating Asia’s green revolution in Africa

Kefena Effa (), Daniel Muleta Fana (), Mandefro Nigussie (), Diriba Geleti (), Nigusie Abebe (), Nigussie Dechassa (), Chimdo Anchala (), Getu Gemechu (), Teshome Bogale (), Dejene Girma () and Feto Esimo Berisso ()
Additional contact information
Kefena Effa: Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI)
Daniel Muleta Fana: Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR)
Mandefro Nigussie: Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI)
Diriba Geleti: Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR)
Nigusie Abebe: Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR)
Nigussie Dechassa: Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI)
Chimdo Anchala: Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI)
Getu Gemechu: Oromia National Regional State, Bureau of Agriculture
Teshome Bogale: Oromia Agricultural Research Institute
Dejene Girma: Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR)
Feto Esimo Berisso: Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR)

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2025, vol. 27, issue 1, No 75, 2186 pages

Abstract: Abstract The aim of this paper is to assess and document the experience of the successful irrigated wheat initiative in Ethiopia, identify potential limitations, and suggest alternative options that contribute towards the sustainability of the program. In the past decades, Ethiopia has initiated several projects to ensure food and wheat security but did not achieve the anticipated impact as planned. In 2019, however, the current government of Ethiopia put in place structural, economic, and sectorial reforms, with wheat chosen as a strategic commodity for food security, raw material for the agroindustry, import substitution that transits to export, and job creation along the value chain. With a total of 2.6 million ha of land cultivated under both rain-fed and irrigated systems, followed by a record amount of wheat harvest (8.2 million tons) in 2022, Ethiopia achieved a wheat self-sufficiency ratio of 100% and more than 1 million tons of surplus for export, indicating that the new irrigated wheat initiative of Ethiopia has been found transformational and is becoming a game changer. Moreover, modest case scenario projections revealed that Ethiopia will become a net exporter of wheat by 2023, indicating that the country is achieving not only wheat security but also championing the possibility of replicating Asia’s Green Revolution in Africa. Yet, the sustainability of the current initiative relies on an efficient water management system, private sector engagement, sustainable input supply, well-established input and output marketing systems, and leadership commitment at all levels.

Keywords: Homegrown economic reform; Ethiopia; Food security; Asian green revolution; Irrigated wheat initiative (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-023-03961-z Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:endesu:v:27:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10668-023-03961-z

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/10668

DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-03961-z

Access Statistics for this article

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development is currently edited by Luc Hens

More articles in Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().