From 17 to 18 February, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia and the FAO Ethiopia office, convened a two-day Global Roadmap workshop in Ethiopia, bringing together government representatives, technical experts, and key national stakeholders to strengthen collaboration around Ethiopia’s agrifood systems transformation.

Held at the Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa, the workshop introduced the FAO Global Roadmap to Ethiopian authorities and partners, highlighting how the initiative aligns with national development priorities and ongoing policy processes.

Representatives from several institutions – including the Ministries of Agriculture, Planning and Development, Health, Finance and Education, the Ethiopian Statistical Service, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute and the Environmental Protection Authority – joined the sessions to discuss how the roadmap can support the country's goals in agricultural productivity, food security, sustainable land use, resilient agrifood systems and improved dietary outcomes.

High-level engagement

The event opened with remarks from Meles Mekonen, State Minister of the Crops and Horticulture Development Sector at the Ministry of Agriculture; Orlando Sosa, FAO Representative in Ethiopia; and David Laborde, Director of FAO’s Agrifood Economics and Policy Division (ESA).

Director of FAO’s Agrifood Economics and Policy Division (ESA), David Laborde presenting at FAO Global Roadmap workshop

“The FAO Global Roadmap provides a pragmatic framework to help countries align policies, investments and actions to transform agrifood systems while ensuring healthy diets, climate action and sustainable development,” said Laborde.

Speakers underscored the importance of evidence-based policies and coordinated investment to advance sustainable agrifood systems transformation at scale.

They also indicated the timeliness of the Global Roadmap as Ethiopia advances its ambitious development and transformation agenda, with agriculture remaining central to gross domestic product (GDP), employment and exports.

Mekonen emphasized the country’s ambition to increase productivity while protecting natural resources, reducing emissions, strengthening livelihoods and ensuring an equitable transformation. 

Meles Mekonen, State Minister of the Crops and Horticulture Development Sector at the Ministry of Agriculture

From global vision to national priorities

Participants were introduced to the FAO Global Roadmap and the Global Flagship Initiative for Food Security. Sessions also examined Ethiopia’s policy landscape and presented the Ethiopia Policy Dashboard, providing data-driven insights to support policy coordination.

Ahead of the workshop, FAO reviewed 45 national policies, strategies and initiatives in consultation with 11 ministries and three agencies, identifying 433 policy objectives linked to FAO Global Roadmap and 258 quantitative targets reflecting the country’s desired policy outcomes and impacts.

Through roundtable discussions and interactive sessions, participants reviewed the preliminary policy mapping and identified priority policy targets, proposing actions tailored to the country's specific context and aligned with national priorities.

First modelling results presented

On the second day, FAO experts presented initial modelling results projecting trends in agricultural productivity, dietary patterns and land use.

The analysis, developed with the Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT and the FABLE Consortium using the FABLE Calculator, explored pathways to improve crop and livestock productivity, increase caloric availability and strengthen food production.

Atendees discussed the findings and their implications for policy and planning, using interactive tools to prioritize actions and gather stakeholder inputs. Conversations also highlighted key challenges, including limited availability of disaggregated data and weak policy coordination across ministries and institutions. 

Strengthening partnerships and next steps

The sessions aimed to strengthen engagement with government and private sector actors, building on earlier national consultations. By aligning global analytical tools with national expertise and priorities, FAO and Ethiopia are working together toward a shared roadmap for sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.

FAO will continue working with national partners to operationalize the roadmap in Ethiopia, supporting evidence-based policies and investments aligned with the country’s development objectives.