Canadian International Development Agency ETHIOPIA Food Security: Issues, challenges and opportunities in Amhara McGill Conference on Global Food Security September 25 26, 2008 Sustainable Water harvesting and Institutional Strengthening in Amhara (SWHISA) Dereje Biruk and Dev Sharma, P.Eng. SWHISA Amhara Partners BoARD BoWRD ARARI CPA EPLAUA Canadian Executing Agency HYDROSULT Inc. Consultants, Experts-Conseils Canada Inc. OXFAM CANADA
Ethiopia: An ancient civilization Population: 80 million growing at a rate of 2.8 to 3% Agrarian society 80% lives in rural areas Land area 1.127 million sqkm with diverse geography; high plateau bisected by Great Rift Valley, mountains 1,620m masl, and low point 115 m below sea level Annual rainfall 500 to 1500 mm 13 months of sunshine
Impressive economic and social transformation (WB No. 2008/289) in last decade GDP at US$800 per capita, average growth at 11% in the last 4 years, 7% in 2007 (estimated) Decline in poverty levels from 46% in 1996 to 39% in 2006 Primary school enrollment tripled Child mortality reduced by 50% Access to clean water doubled from about 25% to 54% HIV/AIDS spread stabilized
Food Security: Issues Crop and Food Supply Assessment (FAO, January 2008) Four consecutive meher (main rainy season) bumper harvests Cereal and pulse harvest was 7% higher in 2007 About 45% higher than the past five year average Yet, about 4 to 6 million people are estimated to suffer from chronic or transitory food insecurity across the country as a result of weather-related hazards. Average daily food consumption is 1,880 kcal/capita/day compared to 2,199 for sub-saharan Africa. 81% of calorie supply comes from cereals, roots and tubers.
Estimated current food security conditions: January March 2008 (Source: FEWS NET/WFP)
Rising food prices Normally food prices decline when supplies from meher harvest enter market. This year, prices started to rise in November Retail price of maize was 40% higher and teff (main food crop) prices increased by 60 to 70% Consumer price index increased by 68% Fuel prices increased by 24% Real impact of the increased nominal prices of cereals on rural and urban poor is one of the major contributing factor for food insecurity.
Nominal retail price of white maize in Bahar Dar
Food security in Amhara: one of the four major food production region in Ethiopia - 48 woredas (districts) out of 105 considered food insecure
Seasonal Calendar and Critical Events
Food Security: Key challenges Rapid population growth rate (2.8 to 3%) Declining land holding (avg less than 1 ha) Households compelled to clear and cultivate marginal lands on steep hillside Overgrazing forage requirement is 40% below needed to maintain current livestock Deforestation for household fuel Rapid natural resource degradation
Heavy dependence on rainfed agriculture Over 80% of arable land under rainfed subsistence agriculture Mono cropping lack of crop diversification Declining crop yields due to poor natural resource base and low input agriculture In general a lack of on-farm technological innovation
Climatic variability Two rainy seasons meher (long rainy season) and belg (short rainy season) 500 to 1500 mm rainfall but highly variable Short duration high intensity rainfall, events of 100mm/day can be expected Extended breaks in rainfall during growth period 1 in 5 year drought cycle
Soil Erosion - one of the most serious soil degradation problem Soil loss 300 tons/ha/year; 250 mm/year Nationally, over 2 million ha is no longer able to support cultivation Decline in waterholding capacity and soil fertility Decline in yields by about 1-2 % per year
In Brief, Increasing population, declining availability of land that is increasingly eroded due to intense rainfall, and chronic net decline in soil nutrient stock due to shortage of firewood and lack of alternative energy sources undermine the ability of agriculture sector to meet the basic food requirement of Amharan people.
Food Security: Strategy Guiding strategic frameworks: Agricultural Development led Industrial (ADLI) Strategy The Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty (PASDEP) Three basic pillars: Increase availability of food through increased production Ensure access to food for food deficit households Strengthen emergency response capacity
Essential elements of FSS Agricultural production, marketing and credit Entitlement/Access to create HH asset Nutrition and Health Intervention Emergency Capability Institutional strengthening, Capacity Building
Agricultural Production PASDEP stipulates land and water management as a key strategy to mitigate the risk of climatic variability and to enhance socio-economic development Technological innovations to increase rainfall use efficiency Diversification of livelihood systems to reduce dependency on rain-fed agriculture
Key Food Security Initiatives Household water harvesting projects 39 Irrigation projects to bring 322,680 ha under irrigation Sustainable Land Management (SLM) projects at watershed level to prevent land degradation Adaptive on-farm research to technological packages for crop diversification Adoption of community extension approaches Streamlining institutions for effective service delivery to farmers
SWHISA contribution to Food Security Initiatives 90 Pilot household water harvesting systems results show that HH can earn an income of $250 to 300 during the dry season from a 85 to 120 m3 storage Participatory design and community ownership of irrigation systems Demonstration of community watershed management in 6 woredas Adaptive on-farm research to technological packages for crop diversification
SWHISA contribution Adoption of community extension approaches Supporting institutional development for effective service delivery to farmers Capacity development at the regional, woreda and farmer level SWHISA is contributing to Government of Ethiopia efforts in improving food security and socioeconomic development of people of Amhara