This came in an interview Addisu, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, gave to the January Special issue of "Ethiopia Today", a monthly magazine published by the Ministry of Information.

Since the adoption in 1994 E.C. of the Agriculture Development-led Industrialization Strategy, a number of measures have been introduced successfully to the rural sector, which includes capacity building aimed at raising agriculture production and productivity through training, technological package, inputs and incentives.

In this regard, a major shift towards market-oriented agricultural production has been achieved, he said.

Said Addisu: "Thanks to the agricultural development strategy that has been successful in altering the productive system from one of subsistence to market-driven one, farmers, with proper utilization of labor, farm plots, water and improved technological alternatives, have been successful in increasing production and productivity and hence their incomes.

"With the increase in their incomes, farmers who were dependent on subsistence farming have been able to focus on market-driven production system after they become successful in improving their production and productivity."

The strategy, he said, not only brought about the beginning of regeneration of the agriculture sector, but has had a ripple effect in other sectors of the economy as well. "In this regard, the economic growth attained over the last four years was reflected not only in the agricultural but also in other sectors, which of course contribute (to) agricultural development."

While education and health services expand to rural areas, farmers have begun making vivid contributions to the growth of the trade and industry sectors, he said.

However, Addisu said, the productivity growth in each commodity was not yet at the expected level and the productivity rate "is not across the board". "Therefore, we need to expand the production and productivity rate attained in limited areas with a few farmers to the whole farming community.

“If we do this job aggressively, there would be no doubt in attaining rapid development at the national level. In short the successive growth attained in the agricultural sector over the last four years has resulted from the translation of the strategy we devised,” he noted.

Further, Addisu said, “Our development and democratization endeavors are inseparably linked. With the intensification of our development ventures, fertile ground would be created for our democratization process, (and vise versa).”

“That is why,” Addisu said, “we believe that we would achieve similar economic growth for the fifth time this year….”

Since we start the new millennium with the kind of success, every Ethiopian is expected to adopt such a spirit and work aggressively to fight back poverty and realize the renaissance.”

“With this, I think, the renaissance would come true in a short period of time and in a complete form,” he said.

The agriculture sector has been witnessing an annual average growth rate of 12.7 per cent over the last four consecutive years. The country's GDP growth over the years has been an unprecedented 11.8 per cent, nearly double the average growth rate attained by Sub-saharan African countries.

Addisu said, to sustain these achievements, the government has continued to put in place enabling conditions to augment the nation's agricultural exports both in volume, diversity and quality. And to motivate the rural populations towards better achievements, the government has for the second time provided awards to those who achieved success in implementing the agriculture policy and strategy. The awards held for the second time in Hawassa city recognize not only farmers but also stakeholders.

E: 4:32 p.m.

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