Desert locust control continues throughout the country
GENERAL
https://shabait.com/2020/11/10/desert-l ... e-country/
Nov 10, 2020
Eritrea is making continuous effort to control Desert locust swarms coming from Ethiopia and those breeding locally starting from the end of, August 2020.
According to the Migratory Pests Control Unit of the Ministry, this time Desert locust infestation and swarms are spread almost in all regions of the country.
Reports from the unit state that, as of November 1st, 2020, more than 9,600 hectares of land in the Northern Red Sea Region, Sub-Regions of Karora, Afabet, Nakfa, Sheeb, Foro, Gelalo and Adobha have been treated.
Around 1200 hectares of land infested with local locust breeding have also been treated in all the three Sub-Regions of Southern Red-Sea.
Kerkebet and Selea are the two Sub-Regions of Gash-barka which have been under continuous locust control for the last three months in a total area of around 300 hectares.
Central and Anseba Regions also experienced locust swarms infestations amounting to 1200 and 607 hectares respectively.
The Southern Region is still the most hit region, with continuous waves of locust swarms from Ethiopia. So far, around 10,500 hectares of land have been treated and vigorous control operations are underway .
In all the regions, the desert locust control operations are being conducted with extraordinary diligence of the Defence force members, farmers, local administration staff and Agricultural experts with the help of manual and motorized sprayers; and vehicle-mounted sprayers. So far, no significant crop and rangeland damage is registered.
MOA Newsletter, November 2020 edition
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Fauna and Flora Data base under development
NATION BUILDING
https://shabait.com/2020/11/10/fauna-an ... velopment/
Nov 10, 2020
The Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Ministry of Marine Resources; Ministry of Land, Water and Environment; Forestry and Wildlife Authority; and the Eritrean Institute of Technology (EIT) has launched a national database on fauna and flora, including domesticated livestock and cultivated crops species.
For this purpose, a start-up meeting was organized on October 9, 2020, in Asmara which was well attended by senior experts from the institutions mentioned above. The main objectives of the meeting were to assess the existing data and information on fauna and flora and to agree on a suitable national database to document these resources.
Mr.
Tekleab Mesghena, Director General of the Regulatory Services Department (RSD) in the Ministry, in his opening remarks, highlighted the importance of fauna and flora resources and stated that if properly studied and documented it could be one of the most priceless resources of the country. He informed the participants that in the past and particularly in connection with international treaties, such as the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the
Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), of which Eritrea is a member, challenges have been faced in the identification of plant or animal species (including fish) that are threatened or at risk of extinction or that are migratory in nature, which may require conservation actions.
He outlined that it is these challenges that triggered the organization of this workshop and created an opportunity to broaden the scope of identification and documentation processes to go beyond CITES and CMS listing.
Finally, he stressed the need for national coordinated efforts to identify and document such valuable resources.
Mr.
Yacob Yohannes, Director of the Natural Resources Regulatory Division in RSD and the national coordinator of the project presented information on some documented fauna species.
He informed participants that Eritrea is endowed with 126 mammalian species, out of which at least 11 species are known to have been extinct and another 30 species are considered to be at risk of extinction. Moreover, he indicated that around 577 bird species exist in Eritrea.
During the meeting, discussion groups were formed and examined the existing data and information of fauna and flora documented by the institutions represented; with the objectives of identifying gaps and the need to address them; and also to map out strategies and approaches to meet challenges of data collection. Towards the end of the meeting, the participants underscored that policy issues related to the use and management of the national database should be addressed and the representation of other stakeholders; like Hamelmalo Agricultural College should be secured.
MOA Newsletter, November 2020 edition
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Ministry conducts evaluation of the MIHAP Program
GENERAL
https://shabait.com/2020/11/10/ministry ... p-program/
Nov 10, 2020
The Ministry of Agriculture conducted a validation workshop on impact assessment of the ongoing
Minimum Integrated Household Agricultural Package (MIHAP) on the 30th of October, 2020 at the
Association of Professional Eritreans in Agricultural Sciences (APEAS) Conference Hall.
During the validation workshop; methodology, results, and recommendations with regards to the extensive survey conducted in Anseba Region on MIHAP beneficiaries, were presented by a team of experts who coordinated the study.
According to the results presented, it is clear that MIHAP, in general, positively influenced the livelihood of the beneficiaries in many ways and contributed a lot in securing nutritious food in targeted villages of Sub-Regions Aditekliezan, Elabered, Habero, and Geleb.
According to the outcome of the study, however, the promotion of Improved energy saving stove (Adhanet), tree planting for firewood, beehive management were among MIHAP components that need special focus and management.
At the end of the workshop the Minister of Agriculture, H.E
Arefaine Berhe forwarded the following key directives;
– MIHAP management must be reinforced from the head office up to the beneficiaries;
– Distribution of essential inputs; and their proper management must be promoted;
– Construction of top bar hive by beneficiaries must be a precondition prior to provision of modern frame hives;
– Integrated watershed management in targeted areas must be a prerequisite;
– Improved wheat, pearl millet, sorghum, and maize crops must be an integral part of the project;
– Beneficiaries should be oriented to manage their farms as Agri-business with proper farm management data and be cost-benefit sensitive.
It is to be noted that MIHAP is a program initiated in 2013 with components of an incalf-heifer; 25 chicken; two beehives; 25 trees for fruit, forage, and firewood; and plots for cereal, vegetable, and green feed production on a minimum of one-quarter of a hectare.
MOA Newsletter, November 2020 edition
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Cultivation of high yielding wheat is expanding at cluster and model farmer level
NATION BUILDING
https://shabait.com/2020/11/10/cultivat ... mer-level/
Nov 10, 2020
The
Agricultural Extension Department (AED) of the Ministry in collaboration with the
National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is promoting distribution of selected wheat varieties, in four regions of Eritrea.
According to Ms.
Ghenet Ghebregziabihier, Head of Seed Unit in the Ministry; selected wheat varieties namely
Sidra-1, Pavon-76, Croc-1, Quafza-32 are under cultivation by 540 beneficiaries in 178 hectares of Central Region in the Sub-Regions of Berik, Gala-nefhi, Serejeka and around Asmara.
635 beneficiaries are also cultivating
Attila-7, Quafza-32 and
Gumoria-3 varieties of wheat in Mendefera and Emni-haili Sub-Regions of the Southern Region in more than 183 hectares of land.
More over, 13.4 hectares in Gash-barka and 2.5 hectares in Anseba are being cultivated with wheat varieties of Attila-7, Sidra-1, Gumeria and Pavon by a total of 130 beneficiaries in both regions.
According to Ms. Ghenet, all the beneficiaries are expected to produce pure wheat seeds which will eventually be distributed to other farmers.
Furthermore, it is to be noted that this summer, wheat cultivation in the country has reached over 30,000 hectares. This is a significant jump compared to the previous years.
Meanwhile, Public Relations Division of the Ministry visited wheat farms in the Central Region; and interviewed some beneficiaries and experts.
Desbele Zekarias is a wheat farmer in the Central Region, Berik Sub-Region. He told this newsletter that he was provided with a wheat variety named Sidra-1; by the Ministry of Agriculture and is cultivating it for his second time.
Last year, I was one of the beneficiaries of this government program and took a quintal of improved wheat seed variety for multiplication purpose. Productivity of the variety was high and I harvested 60 quintals. Then after, as per my contract, I sold it to the government with 25 % more than the market price.
Mr. Desbele, when comparing the variety he acquired with the traditional one, said;
We were only getting 10-15 quintals from the indigenous wheat we cultivated for many years. However thanks to this program, we are witnessing a minimum of three folds increase in productivity.
Mr. Desbele finally concluded that this harvesting season, he is expecting more than 60 quintals per hectare because he fulfilled all the necessary preconditions to boost his production and productivity; including supplementary irrigation, composting and proper weed management.
Priest
Berhane Fessehatsion is another beneficiary of this program from Tsegazega Village, Sub-Region of Berik in the Central Region.
He briefed this newsletter, that he was included in the integrated improved wheat multiplication program before three years and is enhancing his productivity from time to time. He said;
It is not only water that lead to bumper harvest but equally proper seed variety. For this reason, thanks to this improved seed variety, agricultural supplies such as fertilizers and pesticides; and also strict follow-up of experts, we are harvesting two three folds and never went to the market to buy wheat for our livelihood for the last three years.
Finally, Priest Berhane called upon the Ministry of Agriculture to further increase the program both in area and number of beneficiaries, as well as to protect this variety from mixing with other varieties and impurities.
Ms.
Adiam Rezene, Agronomy Expert in Berik Sub-Region on her part told this newsletter, that integrated improved wheat multiplication program has been practiced for the last three years in the area. She stated that, in this program, all beneficiary farmers collectively cultivate the same kind of seed variety and conduct necessary management together.
According to Ms. Adiam, so far 323 farmers; out of which 100 are females; are benefiting from this program. 79 hectares of land in three villages namely; Tseazega, Adiquonsi and Tsaeda-christian is under integrated farming; and 31 hectares of land is cultivated by 20 private exemplary farmers. Regarding productivity in the Sub-Region, Ms. Adiam stated that farmers are getting on average of 20 quintals per hectare from rain-fed agriculture and above 60 quintals if supplemented with irrigation.
Finally, she concluded that almost all wheat
producing farmers in the Sub-Region are totally shifting from their indigenous varieties to the promising wheat varieties mainly ‘
Sidra’ and; Agriculture branch in the Sub-Region is planning to vigorously introduce compost and other natural fertilizers to farmers as well as to promote
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques.
MOA Newsletter, November 2020 edition
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