Food crisis in Ethiopia

Article published on the 2008-06-02 Latest update 2008-06-02 15:47 TU

Merchants struggle to sell tef at the Massalemia food market
Photo: Daniel Brown

The international community is hoping the June 2008 summit on food security in Rome, Italy, will help re-launch the struggle against hunger and poverty in developing countries. The FAO-sponsored conference must answer the combined pressure of increased energy needs, climate change and soaring food prices. These challenges have led to economic and social upheavals in nations like Ethiopia. Crossroads’ Daniel Brown visits Addis Ababa to gauge the depth of the crisis.

In Africa’s second-most populous nation, food production remains critically low, heavy-handed government behaviour stifles initiative, and a 2007 trade deficit of $3.87 million is making it hard to import food.

In the past few months, the price for a 100 kilo bag of tef has shot up from 500 to 800 birrhs, or 80 dollars. That’s a 60% increase in a country where three-quarters of the population survives with less than two dollars a day. And, while the hardest-hit are in the rural areas, city-dwellers are also feeling the pinch.

One of the reasons is that country that has seen its numbers swell from 33 million to almost 80 million people in the last 25 years.

The food crisis is crystallising much of what is ailing Ethiopia nowadays. As a result of the 2005 crackdown on the opposition after the last general elections, for example, many of the international aid programmes have ground to a halt. Three years later, the government led by Meles Zenawi continues to come down strongly on any dissent.

But now these same authorities are appealing to the population to rally behind an ambitious development programme that it prices at $ 39 billion. This is the sum needed to tackle archaic agricultural policies, and a rudimentary transport infrastructure.

For Mafa Chipeta, it is not the global price hike that is at the heart of a crisis that some estimate is touching 9 million Ethiopians. Chipeta represents the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, in Ethiopia and the African Union. His studies cover eight countries, mainly in the Horn of Africa.

“There is not enough production in these countries,” he explained from his Addis office. “In normal years, the eight nations consume 15 to 20% of world food aid. This figure can reach as much as 25% in years of crisis. Governments must support farmers by introducing general policies, rather than in the ad hoc manner we see at the moment.”

Even with an impressive GDP growth rate of over ten percent last year, Ethiopia has not been able to compensate the severe cuts in donor aid since the 2005 political crisis.

In the most vulnerable sectors of society, like the children, the effects have been devastating. Scores of children have died of starvation in the month of May. The United Nations claim 126,000 others are in immediate danger.

Ethiopia languishes in 170^th position in the world’s Human Development Index. The archaic production techniques in agriculture means it still is 600,000 tonnes of cereal short of what its population needs.

Ethiopia’s eyes are now turned to the June summit in Rome. Can the international community finally initiate concrete actions to help states with scarce land and water resources boost their agricultural production? 22 states and almost a billion people suffer from malnutrition in the world. Ethiopia is one.

Crossroads this week features music from Teddy Afro. Ethiopia’s most popular singer is in his third month of prison, many believe for speaking his mind about the harsh realities in his country. The final  song, is called “Yasteserial”, or “God Give Mercy”. Ethiopians are hoping that this week’s Rome summit will He will also give wisdom to world leaders there.