Jigjiga(Mogadishu24)-The Somali State in Ethiopia has begun harvesting rice in the Beerano district of the Shabelle Zone, marking a significant milestone in the region’s agricultural development. The test cultivation, which started in March 2024, has now progressed to full-scale harvesting, reducing the region’s reliance on imported rice.

President Mustafe M. Omer of the Somali State highlighted the region’s agricultural achievements on X (formerly Twitter), noting that the total cultivated land has expanded from 390,000 hectares in 2018 to 887,000 hectares last year.

This expansion has led to a substantial increase in production, rising from 7 million quintals six years ago to 26.5 million quintals in 2023.

“The rice we are harvesting today is the same rice we used to import from abroad,” President Omer stated, underscoring the region’s progress in becoming more self-sufficient.

Under his leadership, the Somali State has seen significant development in infrastructure, education, health, and agriculture over the past five years.