The European Union (EU) French Development Agency on Monday announced a €32 million support to Ethiopia in a financial agreement signed with the government of the east African nation.
The financing agreement is intended to support food security and Agriculture Rehabilitation projects in conflict-affected regions of northern Ethiopia.
The French Development Agency has funded €18 million of the total financial aid while the balance has been funded by the EU.
The projects will be implemented by the Ethiopian Institute of AgriculturalTransformation (ATI) in northern Ethiopia especially in the areas affected by the conflict in Tigray, Amhara, and Afar regions, providing farmers with the necessary resources to restart production and rehabilitate the service infrastructure in order to avoid an unprecedented crisis.
The financing is also aimed at addressing the most urgent needs by reviving agricultural production in these areas, and strengthening food self-sufficiency programs in Ethiopia.
In the first phase, improved seeds will be provided (cereals, legumes and vegetables), as well as an improved breed of poultry, selected small ruminants, horticultural seeds and irrigation pumps that will benefit at least 533,000 households.
The financing agreement was signed by Semereta Sewasew, Ethiopia’s state minister of Finance, Valérie Tehio, AFD director in Ethiopia and Dr. Stefan Lock, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ethiopia.
MG/abj/APA