Ethiopia becomes Africa’s top wheat producer
Ethiopia has become the leading wheat producer in Africa, the Minister of Government Communication Service Legesse Tulu has announced.
His announcement comes following a confirmation by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), a non-profit organisation responsible for research and training to improve maize and wheat production.
According to the Centre, Ethiopia now produces 65% of all wheat grown in sub-Saharan Africa.
Recent projects, like ADAPT-Wheat, have introduced heat-resistant wheat varieties to increase production in lowland areas of the country.
These efforts have helped farmers grow more wheat in new areas.
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Wheat production has also been boosted by support from the African Development Bank, with an investment of $1.2 billion in agriculture and other sectors.
Experts say increasing local production of wheat can help reduce Africa’s wheat imports.
Ethiopia’s agriculture reforms aim to improve productivity and ensure food security.
