Ethiopia launches National Agroecology Strategy to transform food systems

By:  Kanto Kai Okanta

Ethiopia has officially launched its National Agroecology Strategy for Food Systems Transformation covering the period 2026–2040, aimed at building more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural systems across the country.

The strategy, led by the Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia, was developed through a multi-stakeholder process involving government institutions, research organizations, development partners, civil society, and private sector actors. It provides a science-based framework for transforming agricultural landscapes while improving productivity, restoring ecosystems, and strengthening resilience to climate change.

Agriculture remains a central pillar of Ethiopia’s economy and supports the livelihoods of millions of citizens. However, the sector faces increasing challenges including land degradation, declining soil fertility, deforestation, and climate variability. The new strategy promotes agroecology as a pathway to address these pressures by integrating trees, crops, soils, water resources, and biodiversity into productive farming systems.

Speaking at the launch, Eyasu Elias, State Minister for Natural Resource Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, said the country must adopt approaches that simultaneously improve productivity while restoring ecosystems and strengthening resilience for farmers and rural communities.

The initiative also aligns with Ethiopia’s broader national development priorities, including the Homegrown Economic Reform Agenda and the Green Legacy Initiative, which promotes large-scale landscape restoration through tree planting.

The strategy is supported by international partners including the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and CIFOR-ICRAF under the European Union-funded TRANSITIONS Programme, managed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development, which aims to support science-driven approaches to sustainable agrifood system transformation.