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Ethiopia: Millions of Ethiopians face severe food shortages - IRIN
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Ethiopia: Millions of Ethiopians face severe food shortages - IRIN
Changing rainfall boosts number of Ethiopians in need of food aid
By Pawlos Belete
ADDIS ABABA (AlertNet) – Millions of Ethiopians face severe food shortages as a result of the failure of crucial seasonal rains, a problem increasingly linked to climate change.
The Ethiopian government announced last month that 3.7 million of its citizens will require humanitarian assistance between August and December of this year, up from 3.2 million in January. The 16 percent increase follows the failure of the Belg rains, which normally fall between February and May and are essential to the country’s secondary harvest.
The lack of rainfall is being blamed on climate change, with experts saying it is leading to erratic rain patterns and disruption to normal seasonal changes.
Mohamed Ahmed, a farmer in his early 40s, is one of the millions dealing with the consequences of the rainfall changes. He feeds his family of seven by farming a one-hectare (2.5 acre) plot inherited from his father in the village of Doba in the east of the country, 325 km (203 miles) from the capital, Addis Ababa.
But Ahmed’s land has declined in productivity over the past two decades, even as the size of his family has grown.
“Last season (Belg) I (could) barely sow,” the farmer said grimly. “The rain came almost a month later than the usual time. It is sometimes heavy and sometimes light. The yield is not impressive at all.”
Agriculture is the backbone of the Ethiopian economy, employing 62 million people (about three-quarters of the population), ensuring more than 85 percent of the country’s export earnings and contributing 43 percent of GDP, official figures show.
Most parts of Ethiopia have two rainy seasons and one dry period. Long heavy rains from mid-June to mid-September, known as kiremt, enable the main crop growing season, Mehir, which leads to a harvest from October to January.
The shorter and more moderate Belg rains are important for short-cycle crops such as wheat, barley, teff, and pulses, which are harvested in June or July, and for long-cycle cereals such as corn, sorghum and millet.
FARMING MORE LAND
Faced with deepening food insecurity and poverty as a consequence of changing weather conditions, the government has responded by trying to boost agricultural production.
Ethiopia harvested more than 218 million quintals of crops in the most recent Mehir season, surpassing the previous season’s production by 13 million quintals and beating government targets by 3 million quintals, according to the government’s Central Statistical Authority. Produce from smallholder farms grew by 7.4 percent compared to the same season last year.
The increases are due to additional land being put under cultivation, following large-scale resettlement programmes by the government, aimed at relocating farmers to more productive land. The government has not yet produced an official tally of number of people resettled, but unofficial figures give the total as more than 1.5 million over the past five years.
More than 12.8 million hectares (31.6 million acres) of land are now under cultivation in Ethiopia, almost one million hectares (2.5 million acres) or 8 percent more than in the last Mehir season.
Despite the increased yields, production is still less than 90 percent of the amount required to provide sufficient nutrition to all the population, according to a report issued last year by the Ethiopian Economic Association, a nongovernmental organisation.
Throughout the country, prices for staple foods remain relatively high, and with inflation hovering around 20 percent in July, they are not expected to decrease before the next harvest enters the market, experts say.
The failure of the Belg crop is raising fears of a humanitarian crisis among organisations working to provide drought relief in the country.
In July, the World Food Programme (WHP) forecast a significant drop in long-cycle Mehir crops such as maize and sorghum in many lowland and mid-altitude areas of Ethiopia during the next harvest season, following below-average Belg rainfall. The majority of crops produced in Ethiopia are categorized as long-cycle crops, needing at least six months to grow.
In a speech last month, Abdou Dieng, the WFP’s humanitarian food coordinator in Ethiopia, said that the lateness and weakness of the Belg rains had taken a toll on agricultural production in areas of the central highlands, particularly in the regional states of Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region, central Oromiya, and eastern Amhara.
Pastoralist areas also have been hard hit and “vulnerability remains high due to the lingering impact of last year’s drought emergency,” Dieng said.
Somali and Oromiya are the regional states most affected by food shortages, together accounting for two-thirds of those seeking relief assistance.
While the Belg harvest accounts for no more than 10 percent of the country’s total annual grain production, it may provide up to 50 percent of the yearly food supply in some highland areas, such as Wollo and Shewa regions, experts say.
PASTORALISTS AFFECTED
The Belg rains are also the main annual rains for the pastoral and agro-pastoral areas of southern and south-eastern Ethiopia, where they supply critical pasture and water for livestock. Even in regions where the rains do not irrigate an extra harvest, they are still crucial for seed-bed preparation for Mehir crops.
The failure of the Belg crop ironically comes at a time of strong economic growth for Ethiopia. Speaking at a national workshop for disaster reduction last year, the state minister of agriculture, Sileshi Getahun, cautioned that the country’s growth rate of 11 percent for the past seven years was vulnerable to changes in the climate.
“While we are proud of this achievement and realize the benefits, we are also aware of how much natural disasters can hinder growth,” Getahun said. “These disasters are becoming more regular and pronounced in terms of frequency, intensity, and coverage due to climate change.”
Pawlos Belete is a journalist based in Addis Ababa.
30 comments
This is a question that needs to be addressed by the TPLF junta.
"Bezu tebazu medrinim muluwate......."
What is the ruling class doing to control population ? In the story above the farmer who is in his early 40 has a family of 7... The government has so many layers of ministers in unwanted agencies. For population control, it is a division under ministry of health. During the time of the EPRDF the population growth is alarming.
Reports show that : 3-5 million people ...Acute food shortage
8-11million people...Chronic food scarcity
20% of the pop..... it can't feed itself
40% under poverty level
Food security can only be achieved if they start to control the population growth now.
If at all, there was economic development growth, which the ruling class claims, 11% -14%, is generally attributed by official development assistance from donor countries. It was rather artificial, not self resilient.
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The truth is Ethiopia's land if used properly and if the human power got a chance to work for development, the country can feed not only itself, but all the neighbours.
Neighbours like South Sudan and Somalia are drier than Ethiopia but never heared them beg for decades like Ethiopia does. What a useless country!
The problem as I see it is that the government is not making it it's priority number. We hear they have build 30 universities, but I belive may 15 good sized universities could have been enough. They say they are exporting energy to Sudan and Kenya and Djoubiti. But the money spend on such infrastructures could have been used to farming.
They say they have the most expensive plane, but our people are still begging for food and are insecure.
We hear 50 000 young girls are being exported to Saudi Arabia to work as maids (practically) slaves. But our people need these girls. They could have worked in the fields or gone to school to teach or had become nurses and better worked in Europe, Canda or in Arab countries.
The problem is TPLF-EPRDF. They do not have a pro-Ethiopia policy. They only work or paln to stay in power. TPLF-EPRDF do not have self-esteem and do not understand the value of each one of us
If we had a good government, each one of us living in foreign countries would have contributed 2% of our annual income to our hme country, which is legal. The problem, TPLF-EPRDF, do not work with diaspora ethiopians. TPLF-EPRDF rather divides the diaspora on ethnic lines. The want to control the diaspora with people from their ethnic groups.
We should end the rule of TPLF-EPRDF and star a new chapter in our history by bringing the ethiopian people as the centre of our policies.
Ethiopia needs to have larger population. Population control is not a solution. We should encourage our citizens to marry and have children. We should keep the family as our core value. Getting children without parents is a problem for children and society. Remeber each child is unique and should get all attention necessary to grow. We could loose geniuses, heros and heroines if we apply population control.
The land should be owned by ethiopians. No foreigners should participate in farming. The land we have in Ethiopia our asset that could help us shape the future of the world. Please do not give farm lands to foreigners. Give the lands to our farmers, who would kee and farm the land properly. Foreign investment shpould more on industry.
Stop sarving Ethiopians !
Farm as much land as if you are going to feed 3 times the need of the country.
I fully respect your imformative report about the current short fall of rain in the region which causes lots of economic creises throughout the country. But at the end you concluded with no solution.
Pin pointing problems, is in a way essential, however, one has to come up with a solution. What should be done? How could we fight this on going problem? We do not want a free hand out from the Government. The Government does not have power and resources to fix every problem. We,you have to be part of solutions,problem solvers, quick fixers. Pour out our resources to help those poor farmers by forming farmers unions, in their regions.
Talk is cheap. Blaming for the right cause is acceptable, however,most of you guys seem waiting for miracles to come. But even miracles do require strong submission,faith in our Almighty God.
How can we help? Are you willing to be productive to our society?
If you silent the free press, then nobody can talk about the missmanagment, the transparency problem etc. The tplf press is bussy telling the world how Ethiopia progress since 1991. Anybody who listend the propagnda of the government mass media in the 1990s, he or she couldnt blieve what is happning now.
But ther is one fact remains clear. The majority of tigray people as a nation or as indidual have done well both individual wealth or infrastructure, health care, agriculture, edu etc in tigray. Meless died for this. And all tigre know this.
It is a culture thing. It is in there's Genom. It is in bone marrow. It is in the blood. It is inside there's deep brain stem. No matter how!! u can't change TEGRES from begging. "THEY LOVE FREE SHIT".
The impressive growth rate and the amazing dream about the change that was said to have been occured under the late TPLF prime minister have yet to be translated in to improving the lives of the entire populace, not only the selected few from the North.
Showing growth numbers is one thing but registering actual concrete improvement on the hunger and famine stricken nation and its people is another.
The Stockholm syndrome that has gripped the guillibles should not be construed as a sign of real support for a minority junta that vies to stay in power for eternity at any cost to the country.
When real democracy trimphs in a nation as polarized and divided by ethenicity and religion as ours, the real lossers will be none other than the ones that are now adovocating for such an intrinsically flawed and one sidedly skewed system. TPLF watch out !!
Here we go again with the goofy TPLF rain or shine excuse to starve people. Enough with that lame excuse!!!
There are many countries that are dry and with less or no fertile green land that keeps living and prospering. The only difference is that they have governments that care for them.
It is outrageous Ethiopians are going hungry and diying of starvation when the ground beneath them is green.
The main problem for that is the communist style EPRDF land policy where the government grabbed all land out of citizens for its political, looting and controlling purpose.
Land should go back to citizens as pre-communist Mengistu era and let citizens have the incentive to farm and feed on it.
EPRDF/TPLF inability to solve prolems has proved its callousness and ineptness. They must all step down.
Time for New Election!!!!
@Magdala
"Weta wetana ende shenbeko tenkeballele......"
Your comment started good, but you end up saying we need a larger population.
Thanks to the late dictator, Ethiopia is the most populous land locked country., I don't want to lecture you the population forecast of Ethiopia, with the current progression, after 20 years. That will directly affect everything starting from infrastructure to food security. Failure of seasonal rain is a natural disaster. Better preparedness is vital for those areas which are affected, i.e a well devised plan, part of the plan comprises of population forcast and control. Unlike you the regime put forward a policy in theory only. " ye sene hizb policy" never practiced it.
If less people are affected, you need less resources to handle!
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No one have the slightest evidence of power struggle in Ethiopia with the exception of the usual suspects in the Diaspora world, supported by witchcraft prediction and wishful dreaming.
What kind of a stable country you want more than Ethiopia?
The whole world is watching with amazement the kind of political system, constitution and formidable defense force behind the constitution Meles left behind. It is as usual business and development in Ethiopia.
MELES LIVES FOREVER SO DOES DIASPORAS HATE MONGERING.
Lets learn a little from Abraham of the Bible on how he was able to ward off famine in Egypt.
Like Gashe Mamo said first control the production of kids. Do not say God gave them to you. God gave us the ability to make choices. China was right when they implemented a one child policy, problem is only that they are chosing males onlythey will have problems in the future.
Ethiopians first! Lets not lease land to foreigners so they can feed their own, Ethiopians first!
Like Abraham Save! Save! Save! grains during times of plenty. Even dogs have common sense, they save they bury bones for later.
One acre can not sustain a family, give them more instead of giving land to foreigners.
And much more.....
Another goofy TPLF goon.
God is on Ethiopians side, the dictator is gone to hell.
Now you are campaigning against the Diaspora that is speaking and fighting for Ethiopia’s freedom. We have witnessed the last 21 brutal years when only Tigreas are favored by the tribal EPRDF/Woyane junta. When the Diaspora feeds and supports Ethiopians the Woyanes on the other hand are waiting to snatch the food out of their hands and mouth.
After Ethiopians are thrown out of their homes and land they are replaced with Tigres under the name of investors.
The whole world is watching Ethiopia without a government and leader since July, the date Meles died. That is so Irresponsible and shameful .
Those TPLF goons wasted so much money that would have fed millions on one dead despot.
After the waste all the money on the death of the despot and not working for the country for many days that is bleeding to support their insatiable appetite now we are back to square one. Begging money to feed the starved with the lame drought excuse
That is why Ethiopians are hungry for a new leadership and election. For you it is hard to understand because you are not stand with the majority Ethiopians.
You are standing on a stolen shoe bought with looted money.
TPLF had aways been lying as usual covering its weaknesses and talking only about fake Gdp improvement that now is exposed more than ever.
Thank God I live in a country called USA where I am respected like I should and my vote counted.
In Ethiopia it is only tyrant this and that that matters people are considered as non existent or are meant to be ruled by force. You feel like nobody in etiopia your basic freedom taken by force and you are basically non existent because human dignity is lost to tyrants power. The surprising thing is people have accepted thd lie what tigreans are telling them and they even try to convince u that ge country iis better than most countries in the world; just because some cheap buildings are coming up here and there. Give Mr a break
My advice to Ethiopia people : wake up
This year there was enough rain. The problem has nothing to do with rainfall. It is that we are more used to stretch our hands for handouts for decades. We are used to free-money. I wonder when the people on power call us diasporas as lazy and dependants of foreign aid while the country is used to the golden-bread of NGOs for centuries. Hopeless situation which is lead by brainless, shameless bastards.
No more $$$ and maize for Ethiopia. Dig deep down the EFFORT and feed your people.
Even if the military feeds all the military people's and their families still some part of Tigray are in need of emergency food assistance according to the government of Ethiopia.
why do we always time to time blame the west?
why do we always complain and blame nature?
Do you know why because we are a donkey who tied her mouth at the door of heaven.
The san Jose city is pleased that his business is based in San Jose and he brings many investment from Ethiopia. He is one of the main people who recieved and facilitates the 11.7 billion dollars that illegally left Ethiopia between 2000-2009.The capital flight is still bringing him more business.If people have food shortage and poverty it is all Yohannes Mesfine's fault.
http://www.financialtaskforce.org/2011/12/05/illicit-financial-outflows-from-ethiopia-nearly-doubled-in-2009-to-us3-26-billion-reveals-new-global-financial-integrity-report/
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