Eritrea: Nation of Hard Work and Self-Reliance

Although agricultural activities in Eritrea is not limited to the summer season, most of the Eritrean people toils and moils with the onset of the rainy season so as to secure annual yield. In areas where the distribution of annual rainfall is erratic, it is imperative to put efforts into ventures through impounding rainwater in water harvesting structures for yearlong vast agroindustrial activities. Accordingly, the Eritrean people, which prides itself of industriousness, is working hard as ever to capitalize on the promising growing season.

Topping all other national development programs, substantial investment is being made each year in the task of ensuring food security. To this end, the Eritrean government has been implementing nation-wide all-round development programs with a view to revitalizing agricultural activities that had been undermined and relegated virtually to ineffectuality due to protracted war and recurrent drought, as well as reinforcing productivity. Self-reliance, treasured for long in Eritrean traditional customs and highly cherished in the days of the armed struggle, still remains to be the most dependable national asset for all-round development drive. Located in the indigence-stricken Horn of Africa which is ascribed to both natural and manmade problems, Eritrea, unlike other countries in the region that depend upon food handouts every year, has managed to sustain in the face of marginal food scarcity owing to the industriousness of its people and government.

The country has now scored impressive development accomplishments with reference to food security, thereby reactivating integrated national action programs and harnessing human and material capacities over the past years. As a result of consorted endeavors, large- medium- and small-scale water harvesting structures, water diversion schemes and embankments constructed throughout the nation, clearing up and land leveling activities in select areas and the putting in place of irrigation systems have all given rise to extensive and yet modern agroindustry. With the growth of the agroindustry into a lucrative economic activity, the ever hard-working Eritrean people is taking part in agroindustry and animal husbandry, and thus, slaving away for better livelihood. Institutions of both the government and the front are also spearheading the national development drive towards achieving food security.

Eritrea’s greatest accomplishment in the nation-building process is, therefore, its resolve to reinvigorate productivity devoid of aid handouts and dependency. As the conviction for upgrading internal capacity underpins the key to civilization, the lesson the country has drawn from the accomplishments scored thus far, the experience acquired to bringing to fruition and the organizational capacity for popular campaign on top of the introduction of modern production inputs will enable the nation climb the ladder all on its own so as to materialize its grand vision; Eritrea: nation of hard work and self-reliance.