Germany will further strengthen ongoing support through knowledge and technology transfer towards growth of Ethiopia's agricultural productivity, the Federal Minister of Agriculture of Germany, llse Aigner said. A German-Ethiopian advanced training center with the Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center was inaugurated by Aigner and Agriculture State Minister Wondyirad Mandefro. The government of Germany allocated 2.7 million Euro budget for the center. A German parliamentary delegation also visited the center.

The newly opened center will be used to teach farmers about sustainable, site-specific and climate-adapted methods of production including training with modern technology. By 2014, the center, located some 170km south-east of Addis Ababa, will train 1500 farmers.

Wondyirad on his part said the government provides support to investors engaged in large scale agriculture as agriculture  contributes significantly to the ongoing efforts of the country to reduce poverty. The Minister said domestic investors engaged in the agriculture sector during the last four years have been supporting the country's economy through increasing productivity.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency