Ethiopia’s Experience of Wheat Production Exemplary to African Countries: CIMMYT

By Sarah McLaughlin

Ethiopia is the second largest wheat grower in Africa and has high levels of demand for the crop. Shortages of grains, cereals and agricultural inputs such as fertilizer caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict are leading the Ethiopian government to focus heavily on increasing the country’s productivity to rely less on imports.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently launched national exports of wheat/ “We have made Ethiopia’s wheat export dream a reality,” he said.

Yahaya highlighted the role of CIMMYT in improving Ethiopia’s wheat production; around 70 percent of varieties grown in the country come from the organization’s germplasm.

Higher diesel and fertilizer prices are squeezing farm profit margins ahead of the midterm elections. Farmers in Iowa and Kansas discuss rising harvest costs, the war in Iran and whether those pressures will change their votes. Peter Tubbs reports on the debate over farm input costs and the differing political responses across the Corn Belt.