Addis Abeba — Oxfam's Agricultural Scaling-Up Program is as appropriate and timely as it is in line with the current trust of the national development strategy, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoARD) disclosed.

It has significant importance for agricultural and rural development as well as the overall development of the country at large, it said.

Because of intensive capacity building effort, the agricultural technologies utilized, areas cultivated, input utilization and improved management practices contributed a lot to the agricultural growth in the country. Such efforts were realized through consistent support of development partners like Oxfam, said Dr. Abera Deresa, State Minister of MoARD opening the National Agricultural Learning event on Tuesday.

The event was organized by by MoARD in collaboration with Oxfam GB at the Inter Continental Hotel here from 17-19 November, 2009.

Oxfam has been supporting Ethiopia since 1974 in humanitarian, relief and development programs. Currently Oxfam agriculture program is being implemented in three regions: Oromia, Amhara and Benishangul Gumuz, with objectives of: strengthening livelihoods through linkages with markets; empowering communities; supporting investment in smallholder agriculture; building partnerships and capacity of partners and the community; and transforming gender relations, among others.

It implements its projects in the three regions jointly with the respective regional bureaus, National NGOs, Bilateral & International Organizations, Community Based Organizations and Private Companies.

According to the State Minister, "the government is engaged in implementation of strategies and policies toward reducing poverty much more than ever before".

The government has been also implementing various policies, strategies and programs, which are believed to bring sustainable agricultural growth and pave the way to eradicate poverty. In this regard, the Agricultural Development Led Industrialization Strategy (ADLI), and Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty (PASDEP) are key ones. The success that the country has achieved in the last six years was thus a reflection of this effort, he added.

Over nine million farmers have been involved in the implementation of the rural extension program. Over nine thousand farmers' training centers have been established in each kebele of the country to offer training and for demonstration regarding modern agriculture practices. The characteristics of technology disseminated for farmers are labor intensive, market sensitive, respond to the need and practicable.

The regional government representatives from Amhara, Oromiya and Benshangul Gumuz, research organizations, private sectors, multilateral and bilateral organizations, national and international NGO's participated at the event.