Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has been to Oslo, Norway to receive the Yara Prize, a new award which honours individuals or organisations who reduce poverty and hunger through environmentally sustainable agriculture in Africa. The Premier was the first recipient of the new award which was given to him at a special ceremony on 4^th September.

The Prime Minister, who was given the award for his contribution to improved food security and human nutrition through environmentally friendly methods, dedicated the prize to the hard work of Ethiopian farmers and is to donate the $200,000 he received from Yara to putting through secondary education 550 children who would be otherwise financially unable to continue with their studies.

In his acceptance speech at the ceremony, which was attended by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, the top economic advisor to the UN Secretary General and director of the UN Millennium Project, and Thorleif Enger, Chairman of the Yara Foundation and other foundation executives, Meles said that he accepted the award on behalf of Ethiopia’s farmers in recognition of their work, which had seen agricultural productivity double over the past fifteen years - from 53 million quintals to 119 million quintals - through a ‘green revolution’.

Meles went on to say that the government is striving to construct schools in rural parts of the country to increase the number of children being educated and trained so as to enhance the green revolution in Ethiopia even further.

Professor Sachs, who also presented the prize to the Prime Minister, praised the leadership of Prime Minister Meles, saying he had overseen a significant achievement with the growth of the agricultural sector, while Mr Enger expressed his belief that the award would further enhance the country’s efforts to eliminate famine.

ENDS