World Bank Provides Support to Ethiopia’s Efforts to Boost Food Production through the Irrigation of 20,000 Hectares of Farm Land

(WASHINGTON, June 23, 2011) - The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit of US$60 million in additional financing to the Government of Ethiopia in support of its efforts to sustainably increase agricultural output and productivity in the Project Area.

This objective will be achieved by developing 20,000 ha of irrigation and related infrastructure (drainage and access roads), providing support to the Government, and the project beneficiaries for agricultural and market development and for sustainable irrigation management.

Irrigation development is a key priority of the Government of Ethiopia (GoE). In the new Growth and Transformation Plan (2010/11 – 2014/15), the GoE’s five year strategy, “Maintaining agriculture as a major source of economic growth” is stipulated as one of five central pillars to drive growth and development in the country. 

The plan outlines that “Expansion of small scale irrigation will be given priority while due attention will be given to medium and large scale irrigation to the extent possible”. Read more »

Source: worldbank.org

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