ADDIS ABABA — Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh stated that increasing production and productivity is a key to address a numbers of problems.

Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) yesterday organized the National Agricultural Lime Supply and Distribution Launch Program for 2016/17 Ethiopian fiscal year of Crop Season under the theme : "Soil Health for the Survival of the Country" aiming at treating acidic soils.

Speaking at the launching program, Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh said that there is a need to boost production and productivity to solve nation's problems such as food insecurity, high cost of living, and the likes.

He said: "The country should give due emphasis to preserving soil fertility based on effective plan and research keeping the required discipline and expanding experience in the agricultural filed to bring remarkable outcomes."

MoA Minister Girma Amentie (PhD) on his part said that treating acidic soils through limes should not solely be left to a single body as it demands working cooperatively so as to preserve soil fertility at a sustainable manner.

As to him, over the past years, research institutes in agricultural extension announced that it was possible to increase crop yield and productivity by treating acidic soil with agricultural lime.

"Fields treated with agricultural lime has so far showed significant increase in yield. For example, it was possible to increase Wheat product by 71 percent, Barley by 100 percent and Corn by 28 percent, as well as Beans by 88 percent," he noted.

Girma further stated that 43 percent of the cultivated land is affected by soil acidity, of which 28 percent is affected by strong acidity, which covers 3.1 million hectares of the cultivated land. However, Ethiopia has large amount of lime that can be used to treat acidic soil whilst it is a good opportunity to protect soil fertility in the years to come.

The program was attended by Ministers, State Ministers, senior government Officials, and representatives from various states of the country.