By Zakaria Hassan - Reporter
Ethiopia, 2 January 2026 -Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture of has announced the exemption of more than 550 types of farm machinery from customs duties and import taxes, a move aimed at modernizing the sector and increasing productivity amid mounting challenges facing agriculture in the country.
Minister of Agriculture Adeso Ariga said the government has begun importing agricultural machinery duty-free and making it available to farmers through installment-based payment schemes, helping reduce reliance on traditional farming methods while improving productivity and crop quality.
He noted that all technical and administrative arrangements have been completed to facilitate the import of more than 550 types of duty-exempt agricultural equipment, describing the initiative as part of a comprehensive national program for agricultural transformation and for increasing the sector’s contribution to economic growth.
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According to the minister, more than 21,000 tractors and 10,000 harvesting machines are currently in operation across the country’s regions. In addition, over 500,000 water pumps have been distributed to support irrigation activities, contributing to the development and rehabilitation of more than 6.3 million hectares of agricultural land.
Ethiopia’s agricultural sector faces multiple challenges, including heavy dependence on rainfall, the impacts of climate change, production volatility, limited adoption of modern technologies, and the high cost of agricultural inputs—particularly for smallholder farmers. Constraints related to financing and agricultural infrastructure also continue to hinder the achievement of sustainable food security.
Minister Ariga emphasized that expanding agricultural mechanization represents a key solution to these challenges, by improving resource efficiency, reducing post-harvest losses, and increasing output—thereby strengthening the sector’s capacity to meet domestic demand and support agricultural exports in the future.
