The Stumbling Irrigation Sector of Ethiopia

The middle 20th century irrigation development history of the world, especially Green Revolution, taught us that intensive irrigation expansion has the power and is also the key to eradicate food shortages of some nations. At the same period, an attempt was made to improve irrigation sector of Ethiopia but not successful as Asian countries. The paper tried to present the pathways Ethiopian irrigated agriculture so far traveled based on comprehensive reviews substantiated by in depth analyses. From the irrigation policies and development plans up to organizational setups, diverse but critical platforms which troubled its development evolution have been raised and criticized. Effects of these platforms or their aftermaths on targeted development plans; on data of irrigated areas and potentials as well as on performances of irrigation schemes have also been analytically quantified and thoroughly discussed.