Addis Ababa, November 3, 2025 (FMC) — Member States of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have launched a three-day regional meeting in Addis Ababa to shape the IGAD Regional Irrigation Development and Agricultural Water Management Strategy 2024–2035, a framework designed to enhance food security and sustainable water management across the Horn of Africa.
Convened under the IGAD Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP) in collaboration with the Agriculture and Environment Division, the meeting brings together technical experts and senior officials from Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
The workshop aims to align national irrigation policies with regional and continental frameworks, identify gaps in the draft strategy, and develop an implementation plan to strengthen agricultural water management across Member States.
Speaking on behalf of IGAD’s Agriculture and Environment Division Director, Dr. Mohyeldeen Eltohami Taha Hamed, Director of Economic Cooperation and Regional Integration, said the region faces recurring droughts, erratic rainfall, and limited irrigation coverage, with only 2 percent of farmland currently irrigated.
He emphasized that advancing sustainable irrigation is essential to improve agricultural productivity, support rural livelihoods, and reduce poverty.
Dr. Mohyeldeen noted that the regional strategy will provide a framework for long-term planning and investment in irrigation, helping Member States achieve Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 6—ending hunger and ensuring sustainable water management—while supporting the AU’s Agenda 2063, the Malabo Declaration, and the Framework for Irrigation Development and Agricultural Water Management (IDAWM).
He highlighted IGAD programs such as the Horn of Africa Groundwater for Resilience Project (HOA GW4R) and the Food Systems Resilience Program, which aim to strengthen the water–food nexus and build climate resilience in the region. He thanked the Government of Ethiopia for hosting the workshop and the World Bank for supporting the FSRP.
Opening the meeting, Yared Mulat, Irrigation Projects Study and Design Lead Executive Officer at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands, stressed the urgent need to scale up irrigation development. With over 75 percent of farmers relying on rain-fed agriculture, he said, “adoption of sustainable irrigation practices is no longer an option—it is a fundamental necessity” for the region’s food systems resilience.
Yared highlighted Ethiopia’s alignment with continental frameworks through its Ten-Year Development Plan and National Smallholder Irrigation and Drainage Strategy, which prioritize efficient agricultural water management.
He cited transformative national initiatives such as irrigated wheat and rice production and the Green Legacy program as models of how large-scale irrigation can enhance climate-resilient production. Ethiopia also hosted the first International Irrigation Conference earlier this year, which attracted over 1,200 delegates from ten countries under the theme “Irrigation and Climate-Resilient Production,” demonstrating the country’s leadership in advancing irrigation-based agricultural transformation.
The two-day validation workshop is expected to generate technical inputs to strengthen the draft strategy, foster collaboration among Member States and partners, and provide a practical implementation plan for national-level adoption. The outcomes of the workshop will later be submitted for endorsement by IGAD Ministers responsible for water and agriculture.
Following the workshop, the FSRP Steering Committee will hold its biannual meeting on November 5 to review program progress and provide input to its 2026 work plan.
The IGAD Regional Irrigation Development and Agricultural Water Management Strategy is seen as a cornerstone for coordinated regional action on sustainable irrigation, helping transform agricultural productivity, enhance climate resilience, and ensure food security for millions across the Horn of Africa.