Addis ababa: Zambia and Canada have expressed desires to pursue stronger agricultural ties with Ethiopia. On the sidelines of the UN Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktake in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s Minister of Agriculture, Girma Amante, engaged in bilateral discussions with Zambia’s Minister of Agriculture, Mtolo Phiri, and Greg Hallen, Team Lead for Climate-Resilient Food Systems at Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), to strengthen collaboration on sustainable agriculture.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, during the meeting, Minister Girma underscored Ethiopia’s vast agricultural potential, outlined key initiatives aimed at enhancing trade and investment, and emphasized shared priorities for advancing sustainable development. Zambia’s Minister Mtolo Phiri praised Ethiopia’s strides in the agricultural sector and expressed a keen interest in fostering experience-sharing, particularly in the area of wheat production. He further outlined plans to formalize cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding, aimed at strengthening existing ties and deepening collaboration within the framework of the Joint Permanent Commission.

In a separate discussion with Greg Hallen of Canada’s IDRC, Minister Girma highlighted Ethiopia’s integrated approach to food systems transformation. Hallen applauded Ethiopia’s inclusive approach in mobilizing diverse stakeholders to deliver impactful outcomes in nutrition, public health, and economic development. He also emphasized Ethiopia’s commitment to tracking not only agricultural productivity but also broader outcomes related to public health and the resilience of its food systems.