Dr Alemu Mekonnen speaks about the value of irrigation water in Ethiopia, where more than 80 per cent of the population is involved in farming, and irrigation water is free. EfD Ethiopia’s research findings show that pricing irrigation water will help farmers' efficiency in water use, increase agricultural and food production, and make the population less vulnerable to climate change.
The Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy asked EfD Ethiopia to conduct the study. Alemu Mekonnen, is a Senior Research Fellow and past Center Director of EfD in Ethiopia. He is also Associate Professor at the Department of Economics, Addis Ababa University.