Hon. Dr. Girma Amente
Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Hon. Dr. Girma Amente is the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources for theFederal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Hon. Amente has a PhD in Civil Culture from Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Germany, an MSc in Production Forestry from the Swedish Agriculture University, and a BSc in Forestry from Haramaya University, Ethiopia. He was also awarded the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow in 2008. Before appointment as Minister, he was the Coordinator of Infrastructure in Oromia Regional Government, and Ethiopia. He also served as the Head of the Urban Development and Housing Bureau for Oromia State, an appointment he took after serving as the Minister of Public Enterprises in Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Federal Government. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the following institutions: Oromia International Bank, Oromia State Investment Promotion Commission, Oromia Water Works, Design and Supervision Enterprise, and the Development Corridors of Oromia State. He has extensive experience in participatory and sustainable forest management and has worked with bilateral organizations such as GTZ and JICA, and NGOs such as FARM Africa and SOS Sahel. He is one of the leading role players in designing an effective development approach and strategies to ensure food security and alleviate poverty in the country. For this elaborate record, former Ethiopian Prime Minister, His Excellency Meles Zenawi, awarded him a medal of best performance.