News: Gov't defends wheat ‘self-sufficiency’ claims, says aid agencies may continue imports amid persistent humanitarian concern

Addis Abeba– The Ethiopian government defended its data on wheat self-sufficiency but said it does not mean a complete halt to wheat imports. Humanitarian agencies operating in the country “may still choose to import wheat rather than purchasing from the local market,” the governemnt said in a statement that aims to push back growing “skepticism and criticism” over Ethiopia’s self-sufficiency claims, including productivity and data accuracy.

The government’s claim of self-sufficiency in wheat production comes in the backdrop of growing concerns of food insecurity affecting millions in Ethiopia, which, according to the latest data from Famine Early Warning Network System (FEWS NET), is expected to worsen in early to mid-2025, especially in conflict-affected and pastoral areas, if rainfall remains below average and humanitarian access remains limited.

The report, released in January this year, highlited that Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or Emergency (IPC Phase 4) food insecurity persists in areas affected by conflict and drought, particularly in Afar, Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, and Somali regions. Inadequate rainfall and extreme heat in late 2024 and early 2025 are likely reduce milk production and livestock saleability, while rainfall deficits of 10-65% in Somali and Oromia regions may worsen pasture and water shortages. It projected that if the March-May gu/genna rains also fail, severe food insecurity is expected in mid-2025.

The June 2024 FAO-WFP “Hunger Hot Spot” report has classified Ethiopia as one of the world’s hunger hot spots, alongside several other African countries, leaving an estimated 13 million people in the country in need of urgent food assistance between July and September 2024; the estimate includes approximately four million internally displaced persons (IDPs), primarily in the Somali, Tigray, and Oromia regions.

In a recent report to parliament, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute revealed that in the past six months alone, 620 mothers have died due to childbirth complications, while 352 children have lost their lives to hunger.

The institute’s findings were presented in its mid-year performance report to the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Health, Social Development, Culture, and Sports in the first week of February.

However, despite the alarming number of maternal deaths, the report did not provide specific details on the causes, prompting committee members to question its credibility. Tesfahun Bogale, a member of the Standing Committee, pressed officials for more transparency, asking why the reasons behind the deaths were not fully disclosed.

The report also highlighted severe nationwide food shortages over the past six months, which resulted in 232,389 children falling ill due to malnutrition.

However, in a statement released on Tuesday, the Office of the Prime Minister said Ethiopia has taken “decisive steps toward food self-sufficiency” by expanding irrigated farming, using improved seed varieties, and adopting modern techniques. The statement blamed that the shift away from wheat imports has drawn “skepticism and criticism of our productivity and data.”

The government stated that Ethiopia has “completely ceased wheat imports” since the 2020/21 harvest, adding that the country “no longer relies on wheat imports due to a significant increase in domestic production.” However, it noted that achieving wheat self-sufficiency “does not mean that wheat imports will entirely disappear from Ethiopia’s customs data,” as humanitarian organizations “may still choose to import wheat” based on their “operational needs and strategies.”

Addressing concerns over data reliability, the government said wheat production estimates are based on a “rigorous data collection process” that includes “ground surveys,” agricultural censuses, and “remote sensing and image processing” technologies. It emphasized that the Ethiopian Statistical Service (ESS) is “one of the oldest and most reputable statistical offices in Africa” and that the Ministry of Planning and Development holds the “final authority for data clearance” on crop production figures.

Officials claim that Ethiopia produced “151 million quintals (15.1 million tons) of wheat” in the 2022/23 season and “23 million tons” in 2023/24, with output increasing in both the main (Meher) season and irrigated farming.

While framing food self-sufficiency as a key national goal, the government said its approach demonstrates that “Africa has the capacity to feed itself” and “achieve a food-secure future.” AS