Lowlands

Message from the State Minister

Ethiopia’s lowland and pastoral areas hold significant potential when it comes to contributing for agricultural production and development as well as meeting the national targets set for food and industrial crop production. Our government reasserts its commitment for this national goal to excel lowland development efforts as well as to address multiple livelihood challenges through integrated, comprehensive approach to effectively and feasibly contribute to Ethiopia’s goals of achieving improved food and nutrition security, job creation and raising incomes.

The Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands (MILLs) developing a strategy to build and enhance drought-resilient livelihoods in the lowland areas of Ethiopia which is aimed at achieving transformed and sustainable livelihood and ecosystems in the lowland communities and environment. In conformity with such strategy, The wing of the Ministry is primarily accountable for implementing a multi-tier development program that can help in the sustainable transformation of lowlands agriculture and socio-economic aspects thereby contributing to avert poverty and mitigate climate change impacts.

The Ministry has also the responsibility to setout key priorities to coordinate and implement such efforts at the grassroots level, which is via close coordination with regional governments and key stakeholders aiming at enhancing their capacity and providing the necessary technical supports required for successful execution of lowland and pastoral development efforts. Hence, at the core of all such efforts, the private sector engagement is critical and imperative to provide more sustainable and longer-term solutions for the whole lowland and pastoral development efforts. In this respect, the Ministry is ready to work together and will facilitate enabling environment for such private sector participation and will be at the helm in coordinating such efforts at all levels. So, this is my kind request to all private sectors and development partners to join us in this journey and build sustainable resilient livelihoods of the lowland and pastoral communities via adopting sustainable measures.

Yours Sincerely,

H.E. Endrias Geta Beldeda (PhD)State Minister of Lowlands Research and Development SectorMinistry of Irrigation and LowlandsFederal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia