Ethiopia Achieves Historic Wheat Output, Harvest Tops 126 Million Quintals in Six Months

Kenya, January 30 2026 - Ethiopia’s ambitious drive toward food self-sufficiency has delivered a major milestone, with national wheat production reaching 126.69 million quintals during the first two quarters of the 2018 Ethiopian calendar (roughly mid-2025 to early 2026), Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced. 

The achievement, excluding output from irrigated wheat schemes, reflects gains in productivity and expanded cultivation that are central to the country’s National Wheat Program. 

In a social media post, PM Abiy said the programme is anchored in efforts to boost productivity, expand irrigated acreage, strengthen seed systems and support smallholder farmers, particularly in key grain-producing regions. “Ethiopia’s National Wheat Program is anchored in the goal to shift the country to a self-sufficient producer,” he wrote, praising farmers and urging continued momentum as harvests continue. 

Ethiopia’s wheat sector has been prioritized for its role in food security and import substitution. Under the government’s Homegrown Economic Reform Agenda, agriculture, and wheat production in particular, has been positioned as key to reducing reliance on costly food imports and stabilizing local food markets. 

External market analysis supports the narrative of growth. 

Reports by the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service and private agricultural analysts show domestic wheat production continuing to rise, with forecasts suggesting Ethiopia could produce a record 6.5 million tonnes (650 million quintals) in the 2025–26 marketing year, driven by expanded irrigated land and improved yields. 

This production trend has been accompanied by a decline in wheat imports, with some estimates suggesting volumes could fall by about 24 percent even as domestic demand grows due to population expansion and urbanization. 

Irrigated cultivation has been a major contributor to Ethiopia’s transforming wheat landscape. The government has aggressively expanded irrigation infrastructure across diverse agro-ecological zones, including parts of Afar and Oromia, to avoid sole dependence on variable rainfall and boost yields. 

Agro-industry research also highlights the impact of improved seed varieties and agronomic practices. For example, initiatives by research partners such as the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) have introduced resilient high-yield wheat varieties to farmers, helping to mitigate disease pressures and boost productivity. 

The surge in domestic wheat production has multiple potential benefits: