Addis Ababa, July 3, 2025 (FMC) – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) told the parliament today that 23 million Ethiopians have transitioned out of the national Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP), citing it as a major milestone toward achieving full food sovereignty.
Addressing members of the House of Peoples’ Representatives during their 42nd regular session, the Prime Minister said the shift reflects Ethiopia’s steady agricultural transformation and the government’s broader reform efforts. “A country that cannot feed itself cannot fully secure its future,” he stressed, linking the gains directly to sustained investments in irrigation, mechanization, and rural productivity.
Agriculture remains the backbone of Ethiopia’s economy, employing the majority of the population and serving as the main source of export revenue. The sector is projected to grow by 6.1 percent this fiscal year. According to the Prime Minister, Ethiopia cultivated 31.8 million hectares of land this year—up from 23 million hectares last year—producing 1.5 billion quintals of crops. This marks a 24.7 percent increase in agricultural output from the previous year.
Abiy credited the country’s agricultural momentum to bold, targeted measures under the government’s reform agenda, including the expansion of irrigation and increased deployment of modern farming technologies. Over 100 small and large irrigation dam projects are planned across the country. Of these, 20 dams are under construction, with six expected to be inaugurated in September. These will irrigate an estimated 84,000 hectares.
Mechanization has also expanded significantly. Thousands of tractors, combine harvesters, and water pumps have been distributed to farming communities, contributing to productivity gains and reducing dependence on imports—particularly wheat, which is now being produced at scale domestically through irrigated agriculture.
Prime Minister Abiy described the departure of 23 million people from the PSNP as a “clear testament to Ethiopia’s resilience and progress,” calling it the result of not only policy but national determination. “We must now focus on empowering the remaining 4 million beneficiaries,” he urged, “and ensure that Ethiopia becomes a nation that has fully achieved food sovereignty.”
He concluded by stating that this year marks the beginning of Ethiopia’s renaissance: “What we have achieved so far is just the beginning. Our arable land, our reform commitment, and our unity as a people will carry us forward to national prosperity.”