Shabait.com (Asmara)
7 July 2008
Asmara — In line with efforts to achieve food security, the Ministry of Agriculture has finalized the necessary preparations to put over 578,000 hectares under cultivation through employing heavy machineries, according to Mr. Hurui Asgedom, director general of the agricultural development department in the Ministry.
He indicated that select crops, including wheat flour, sorghum, barley and millet would be planted in fertile land covering more than 49,200 hectares. Noting that agricultural plots that would be put under cultivation this year have increased by 8%, Mr. Hurui pointed out that experts have already been deployed in different parts of the country so as to closely follow up the farmlands, and thereby apply efficient agricultural management methods for better crop output.
He further stated that the Ministry has distributed over 60,000 quintals of modern fertilizer and about 70,000 quintals of pesticides to different administrative regions. Besides rain-fed agricultural sites, around 65,000 hectares would be cultivated through water diversion schemes and another 1,300 hectares through drip irrigation, Mr. Hurui added. He indicated that the existing 238 micro-dams and about 324 water reservoirs in the country would be effectively utilized to this end.
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