Metemma (woreda)

Metemma is one of the woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Semien Gondar Zone, Metemma is bordered on the south by Qwara, on the west by Sudan, on the north by Mirab Armachiho, on the northeast by Tach Armachiho, on the east by Chilga, and on the southeast by Takusa. The administrative center is Shehedi; other towns in Metemma include Metemma and Shinfa.

Elevations in this woreda range between 550 and 1600 meters above sea level. Rivers include the Atbarah, the Genda Wuha, the Guang and the Shenfa. The natural vegetation of this woreda is predominantly Acacia trees with Hyparrhenia grasses growing beneath. Another common tree here is Neem (Azadirachta indica), which is frequently planted along roads in the towns, and as shade trees in rural areas. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 23.6% is arable or cultivable, 4.13% pasture, 71% forest or shrubland, and the remaining 1.3% is considered degraded or other. Teff, corn, sorghum, cotton and sesame are important cash crops; the town of Metemma serves as an important trade gateway between Sudan and the Amhara Region. Between November 2000 and June 2002, SUR Construction built three road segments connecting Metemma with Wohni by way of Shehedi, totalling in length 70 kilometers.

The economy of Metemma is predominantly agricultural. This woreda has been the major center of cotton production inside Ethiopia since the 1950s. In 2003/2004, 21.1 square kilometers were planted in cotton, yielding 168,592 qt of crop. Gum arabic and incense are important cash crops in this woreda; the principal species which produce incense is Boswellia papyrifera, while Acacia seyal and A. polyacantha are harvested for their gum. Three private companies are involved in harvesting incense, which together produce about 500 qt annually. Of the 18 rural kebeles, 12 have organized Farming Service Cooperatives with 2,995 members, and the remaining 6 are in the process of organizing cooperatives. Six cooperatives joined in 200 to form the Metemma Cooperative Union. One micro-finance institution operates in this woreda, the Amhara Credit and Saving Institution SC (ACSI); established in 1998, it has one office at Shehedi and another at Shinfa. As of 2004, ACSI loaned out 5,357,540 Birr to 2,618 clients in this woreda.

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