MELCA-Ethiopia held a national dialogue on sustainable food governance, agriculture, seed, soil, and emerging issues.

With the financial support from Bread for the World (BfW)/PADD and African Biodiversity Network MELCA-Ethiopia organized a national dialogue on sustainable food governance, agriculture, seed, soil, and emerging issues from 23 – 24 December 2021 at Bishoftu town.

The overall objective of the national dialogue is to contribute to the creation of resilient and prosperous local communities through transformations of the agriculture and food systems to sustainable and healthy agriculture and food system.

At the national dialogue different stakeholders from Ministry of Agriculture and Health, ANRS Agriculture Office, Civil Society Organizations, Agricultural Research Institute, Academic Institute, and representatives of farmer communities have participated.

Three Community Seed Producers and Conservators Associations (SCPCA) from Oromia National Regional State Gindeberet Haro Melca SCPCA and Ejere SCPCA Gindeberet and from southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional State Gedeo zone Akolo Kebele, Harosiso SCPCA presented their local seed and foods for the participants. The Community Seed Producers and Conservators Associations also share their knowledge and farm level experience for the participants.

On the dialogue, different papers are presented by different researchers and experts, the vicious circle of biodiversity resource management and Agricultural Development- Pooling Ethiopia out of circle, by Ato Regasa Feyisa, Director of Ethiopian Organic Seed Action, Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Ethiopia Ato. Tefera Solomon, Director of Soil Fertility Improvement Directorate, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Sustainable Agricultural Practices: The case of Amhara National Regional State Representative of ANRS Bureau of Agriculture, Agricultural diversification and implication on Ethiopian Economy by Dr. Tsedeke Abate, Founder and Leader of Home Grown Vision,

Promotion of community-based sustainable land management practice by Worku Alehegn, Project Coordinator, Facilitator for Change, Ethiopian Agro-ecology network – History, of strategy and future plan of action by Ato. Sebsibie Zuber, Founding and Managing Director of BBS African Development Consultancy, Some emerging issues of concern about sustainable agriculture and food systems in Ethiopia by Ato. Solomon Kebede, MELCA-Ethiopia Executive Director papers are presented.

Based on presented papers workshop participants raised and discussed different points on industrial agricultural food system negative outcome, monopoly of power and creation of inequality, nutritional food crisis, the need to enhance local seed system, the need to promote traditional bio-cultural knowledge, the need to address land degradation and soil erosion and associated climate change impact, promoting right based approach in food and agricultural system, the need to create a strong civic movement and civic engagement.