|
|
|
|
| Ambassador's Speech>2011 >110713 | |||||
|
|||||
| at the Signing Ceremony for a Joint Research Project on Low Carbon, Sustainable Rural Development in the Tigray Region at the Axum Hotel, Addis Ababa on 13 July, 2011 | |||||
| Dr. Kawashima, Program Director of JIRCAS, Dr. Kindeya Gebrehiwot, Academic Vice President of Mekelle University, Respected Project Partners, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Endemen Walachehu. It is a great pleasure for me to attend this signing ceremony for a 5-year joint research project on Low Carbon, Sustainable Rural Development between the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) and five Ethiopian counterparts, namely the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tigray (BoARD), Mekelle University and the Tigray Agricultural Research Institute (TARI). I am looking forward to seeing this forward-looking project widely recognized in Ethiopia through today’s ceremony. Before I go any further, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation for the heartfelt condolences, sympathy and warm encouragement extended to us by so many people in Ethiopia when an earthquake and tsunami of unprecedented scale hit Japan last March. I am also grateful to the Ethiopian people for the generous donation of 5.4 million birr that the Ethiopian Government raised from wide-ranging quarters for those who have suffered from the disaster. The Japanese people were so encouraged by the solidarity shown in various ways by people in Ethiopia. Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, I believe that this project is innovative. It addresses two important challenges simultaneously, namely agricultural development and environmental protection. First of all, agricultural and rural development is crucial in Ethiopia where 85% of the population lives in rural areas, and 41% of the GDP is produced from agriculture. Agriculture is therefore a key sector in the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). The economic and social stability of this country depends on agricultural development, in particular whether food security can be realized. To that end, increased crop productivity and improved marketing networks for agricultural products are required. The joint project agreement, which the six parties will sign this afternoon, is important as it focuses on developing a sustainable rural development model. Secondly, climate change is also a big challenge for Ethiopia, which depends heavily on agriculture. The Ethiopian Government is committed to ensure zero emission of greenhouse gases until 2025. This is an ambitious but laudable objective. As part of its effort, Ethiopia takes a policy of using only renewable energy sources for power generation such as hydro and wind. It also promotes reforestation in various parts of the country. In coping with climate change, Ethiopia puts an emphasis on both “mitigation” of global warming effects and “adaptation” to the changing environment. This joint project is therefore very relevant, being conducive to the mitigation focus. It has been designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using various scientific methods. These are the reasons why I have high expectations of this joint project. I would like to pay tribute to JIRCAS for its foresight and initiative. If this project goes well, a model of eco-friendly rural development will be readily available to apply in other parts of Ethiopia and also in other developing countries. Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, Our engagement with Ethiopia in agriculture and environment is not limited to this project. Agriculture is one of the priority areas of Japan’s ODA policy toward Ethiopia. A rice cultivation project is underway by JIRCAS in the Amhara Region with a particular focus on soil and irrigation. A participatory forest management project has been implemented by JICA in the Belete and Gera forests in the Oromia Region, now in its second phase. A project to set up Tree Seed Processing and Storage Centers is also in progress. Later this year, construction of the said centers will start in the Amhara and Oromia Regions. They are scheduled to be completed by the middle of next year. These are all eco-friendly, rural development projects. As you all know, Japan is proactive for the sustainable development of Ethiopia. Both agriculture and environment are important areas in our cooperation with Ethiopia. We are ready to work with you. Thank you for your attention. Amesagenalehu. |
|||||
|
|||||
