The State of Eritrea

Ministry of Agriculture Newsletter

A Monthly Newsletter Prepared by the Public Relations Division, Issue No 71, May 2024

Ministry of Agriculture Introduces its New
Strategic Development Plan (2024-2028)
The Ministry of Agriculture carriedout extensive meetings in five
regions of the country in a bid toevaluate the first-quarter progress,
and to elaborate the new Strategic
Development Plan (SDP) that spansfrom 2024-2028.
The Public Relations Division has
conducted a detailed interview withMr. Tesfay Tsegai, Sector Planning Unit
head at the Ministry, and member ofthe SDP drafting committee.
Q: What are the needs assessmentthat led to the new SDP?
A: (Mr. Tesfai): Well. This strategic
development plan is part of theongoing efforts of the ministry
to strengthen the productivity of
the agricultural sector but withcrucial revisions to address thecontemporary challenges facing
Eritrean agriculture. Thus, it builds
upon the successes and lessons
learned from the previous plans. To doso, we have employed a participatory
approach where representatives
from all departments and divisionof the ministry as well as planners
from all regions of the country havedrafted their Development Plan for
the next five years.
Q: Compared to the previous two
five-year SDPs of the MoA, what’s
new about this SDP?
A: The agricultural sector is constantly
evolving, and facing new challenges

Mr. Tesfai Tsegai
and opportunities. The new planaddresses challenges that haveemerged since the implementationof the previous plans. For example,
it emphasises climate-smart andnutrition-sensitive programs andleverages on the accumulated
strengths of the sector to implement
these programs.
The Ministry has made remarkableprogress in increasing yields of somecrops, particularly wheat, maize,and potatoes. Moreover, the efforts
to integrate sweet potato, which
is highly nutritious, and climatesmart crop, into dietary habits
are promising. Exploiting the yieldpotentials of these crops is top on theagenda of the plan. Moreover, thisnew SDP stresses promoting organic
farming practices by motivating
farmers to use organic fertilizers,
bio-pesticides and integrated pest
management practices.
Q: What are the major componentsof the new SDP?

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A: This SDP has got five development
programs, namely; agricultural landand natural resources management
program;cropdevelopment
program; livestock development
program; integrated livelihood andagribusiness support program;
human and institutional capacity
development program. Each of these
programs constitutes several outputs
from each department, division andregional branch. These outputs areexpected to result in five distinct
but complementary outcomesthat contribute to ending hunger
and promoting sustainable foodsystems. Implementation of these
programs is being kicked off under
the theme “Safe and nutritious foodfor everyone, everywhere”.
Q: Let’s go deeper into each ofthese programs; and start with
the Agricultural Land and NaturalResources Management program.
A: The Agricultural Land and NaturalResources Development Programas its name indicates, aims atenhancing sustainable utilization andconservation and enhancement ofnatural resources. Land and water
are the basis of life and agriculture
is a sector that largely depends
on these resources. While this is auniversal fact, our country's rugged
topography, recurrent drought
and mostly torrential rains induce
additional challenges. That’s why soiland water conservation programsare always top on the national andsectoral agenda. This is an area
where we have registered promisingprogress but we believe there is a
lot to be done to sustainably tap theopportunities from the conserved
waters, build more water reservoirs,and treat all watersheds. Expansionof renewable energy sources (mainlysolar energy), promotion of organic
farming, and conservation of plant
and animal genetic resources arealso among the main strategies inthis program.
Q: Could you familiarize us withthe second program on how it willcontribute to producing adequate
and healthy crops?

A: The second program aims atincreasing the productivity ofcrops. We have ample cultivableland that is sufficient to feed ourpopulation and beyond. However,
the overall agricultural output is
not yet satisfying the local demand.
Low productivity in the agricultural
sector not only results in low outputs
but also imposes heavy opportunity
costs. Increased productivity is the
only means we can release our laborand other resources to the othersectors of the economy. Therefore,
increasing productivity in theagricultural sector is a prerequisite
to all development programs forit has multiplier and far-reachingeffects. Among the major strategies
in this program include building on

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the achievements of the previousyears. Our researchers and farmers
have proved that the potential yieldof maize and wheat, if supplemented
with irrigation and under goodagronomic practices can reachan average of 50-60 quintals perhectare.
Besides, the productivity of potatoes
has witnessed a satisfactory levelwith some farmers reaching 300
to 450 quintals per hectare. In lightof these realities, we will focus on
narrowing the yield gaps. Doing thisis not easy, but we have alreadygained enough lessons from thesesuccess stories. What is needed is tomultiply the number of exemplary
farmers who adopt these tested good

agronomic practices, mainly throughan extension work. In addition tothis, we are working on introducing
and expanding the cultivation ofother adaptable, nutritious, andclimate-smart crops. Date palm,
sweet potato, and cassava are among
the major crops being introduced
to our farming systems. Datepalm cultivation, for instance, has
become an opportunity to change
the arid and semi-arid lowlands intotreasures for nutrition-sensitive andsustainable livelihoods. Here, it isimportant to mention that, we willcontinue to maintain production
diversity according to the suitabilityof different agro-ecological zones.
In this area, we will invest in
introducing small-scale handy
technologies that can help farmers
to reduce the cost of production.
Another important issue that you
raised is protecting the health ofplants. For safety and sustainability
concerns, we will encourage
farmers to adopt integrated pest
management practices. To accelerate
this, we have introduced somelocally produced effective biologicalmethods. The use of chemical
protection and treatment methods
shall be used as a last resort and withstandard safety protocols.

Q: Livestock Development has becomeamong the MoA’s top priorities. What
do we expect from this program?
A: Yes. Livestock development isanother important program ofthis SDP. As said, there are several
problems in this sub-sector. The main
objective of this program is to increase
the availability and affordability ofsafe, and nutritious milk, meat, eggs,and honey.
Milk production has not fared wellover the years. Among the major
reasons for this trend has been theinadequate production of green
feed and limited knowledge of herd
management practices. To addressthese problems, initiatives will betaken to mobilize farmers to allocate
land for green feed production. From
this year on, horticulture farmers will
be encouraged to allocate 10% of theirland to animal feed (9%) and sweet
potatoes (1%). Moreover, farmers willbe trained on climate-smart foragebased dairy development practices
which include the preparation of
dairy-products-and-byproductsbased meals, and green feed
preservation techniques.
To enhance the availability ofquality meat, improved range land
management practices will be3

introduced for intensive and semiintensive beef production systems.
Increasing the production of eggs isanother area where we shall focus in
the coming five years. On top of themodern egg production practices that
we have been intensively working on,
we will encourage traditional homebased chicken rearing methods
as well. Henceforth, households
should not be dependent on chicks
distributed by the Ministry. Thisapproach is expected to contributeto increased income and nutritional
diversity in farm households which
could potentially benefit women andchildren.
Honey production is anotherimportant part of the program. Toaugment honey production, farmhouseholds are expected to build
at least one top-bar hive per year.
The ministry will provide necessary
training on techniques of making
top-bar hives and multiplication ofbee colonies.
Another cross-cutting issue inthis program is promoting animal
health and animal product safety.
For this reason, the coverage
and efficiency of vaccination andtreatment services will be enhanced.
Moreover, regulatory services will bestrengthened through awareness-raising training programs
inspection services.

and

Q: The fourth program goesto ‘Integrated Livelihood andAgribusiness Support Program’. What
are the major components of thisprogram, and what are the strategies
set to improve the livelihood of thepeople through this program?
A: This program puts special emphasis
on integrated development models
that are aimed at promoting farmers'
livelihoods through climate-smart,gender-inclusive, and nutritionsensitive livelihood patterns. For
example, the Minimum Integrated
Household Agricultural PackageMIHAP will be scaled up under thisprogram. Moreover, home economics
activities like nutrition education,
expansion of improved stoves, andfood safety are included in thisprogram. Besides, the Small andProductive Farm Plot (SPFP) which
will be practiced over 1000 m2 isbeing introduced for the first time toimprove access to safe and nutritious

food in the rain-fed and semi-arid
areas of Eritrea, is part of this program.
This agricultural initiative for waterstressed areas is a tailored climate
and nutrition-sensitive initiative that
could change the livelihood of manyvulnerable communities for it will
be implemented in all regions of thecountry to properly utilize two-threeseasons to produce cereals, pulses
and oil crops; as well as vegetables
that include sweet potato. Its detailed
implementation manual will bedistributed very soon.

qualifications and competenciesof the MoA staff through different
short- and long-term training. In
this strategic period, these activities
shall be implemented following thehuman resources development plan
to fill the expertise gaps in the MoA.
Another approach to enhance thecompetencies of our extension staff
is promoting farmers' field schools(FFSs). The extension staff at village
levels are expected to organize FFSs
in villages or neighborhoods. Theseschools are expected to enhance thepractical experience of both farmersand staff. By facilitating FFS sessions,extension agents can learn from theindigenous knowledge and identify
tips for future development.

Q: The Human and Institutional
Capacity Development Program isalso one of the new SDP programs.
What does this program constitute,and how does it add value to the restof the programs?
The second element is institutional
development which can impact
A: This is a cross-cutting program thatthe the operational efficiency. Thisaims at enhancing the innovativeness,includes software and hardware parts,efficiency, and effectiveness ofThe hardware is the infrastructure
agricultural sector institutions. It
development of laboratories, seed
includes two elements: humanstores, vet clinics, etc. The othercapacity building and institutional
component is building the soft powerdevelopment.
Humancapacity
which includes all the managerial anddevelopment aims at upgrading the4support services in the MoA. Theseprovide an enabling environment
for the installation and developmentof pragmatic practices that can besustained over the years. Developing
agricultural policies, standards,andregulatory
frameworks,
planning, monitoring and evaluation
systems, gathering, analyzing, anddisseminating information, systems ofhuman resources appraisal, etc are key
elements that make up institutional
development.

A: We do this in different ways.
Primarily, we use our extension
agents who are working at village andadministrative area levels. We havealso been conducting seminars at
sectoral and regional levels. We arerigorously utilizing our media outlets
through our public relations division.
This interview, itself, is part of that.
Above all, we have been working
to make sure that every member ofthe ministry (directly or indirectly)
contributes to the preparation of
Q: Who are the major stakeholders this plan. Therefore, the interest andpassion in its implementation arebehind this SDP?
promising. To this end, we are also
A: Farmers are the main partners strengthening the sectoral Monitoringin implementing this plan. Our role and Evaluation system at all levels
is to clarify the vision and support of the Ministry. All departments,
the means to reach the ends. divisions, and regions will now use
Other important stakeholders are standard monitoring templates which
relevant local government and non- can also be easily tracked throughgovernment organizations and the the ongoing digitization process.
development partners who always Thus, leveraging the advancements
provide us with the needful support in communication tools, we will soon
to overcome our challenges.
be able to easily track the progress of
Q: How do you communicate to and implementation.
engage with these stakeholders sothat they can aggressively contribute Q: Finally, I give you this opportunity
to deliver some final words
to the success of this new SDP?

A: Building on the wisdom of "failing toplan is planning to fail," we've taken aproactive step by developing this SDP.
However, a well-crafted plan is only
the first step. Now, we must ensure its
successful implementation.
This requires effective monitoring andevaluation of all planned activities by
their respective units as specified in
the plan. To this end, we will continue
to work closely with the planning andstatistics units in all regions so as they
develop the capacity to plan, monitor,and evaluate the implementation of
the programs.
Finally, I want to express my sincere
appreciation for selecting thisimportant issue to be addressed
through the monthly newsletterand your consistent efforts incommunicating all other sectoralactivities. This will help us achievetransparency and ensure everyone
understands our path forward.
Thank you!
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Editor-In-Chief: Ermias Solomon, Director of Public Relations Division: Email:- ersohab@gmail.com, Tel: 182225/ 07143877
Assisstant Editors: Filmawit Measho and Medhanie Tsegai
Photo Credit: Tomas Mehari, Aradom Bereket and MoA Archives

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