UN report warns of food security crisis in Ethiopia despite promising harvest prospects

Addis Abeba – Despite promising prospects for the 2024 main Meher season crops, planted last June and July in key producing regions, the United Nations (UN) warns of a challenging food security situation in Ethiopia due to a series of adverse shocks.

A report released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on 10 October, 2024, highlights that the June to September rainy season brought average to above-average rainfall, positively impacting yields in the key producing areas of western Oromia, western Amhara, and the Benishangul Gumuz region.

According to the report, vegetation conditions were favorable across all Meher cropping areas as of late September, just before harvesting operations began, and cereal production prospects remain generally promising.

The report follows a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture two months earlier, which reported significant progress in the country’s main Meher season farming efforts.

By late August 2024, nearly 20 million hectares of arable land had been tilled, with a substantial 17.7 million hectares already planted with various crops.

The Ministry expressed optimism that these efforts would yield a record harvest of 613 million quintals during the 2024 main Meher season.

However, the UN agency noted in its report that localized shortfalls in cereal production have been observed in some southwestern agropastoral areas due to flooding, as well as in parts of the Amhara region, where insecurity has disrupted agricultural activities.

Despite favorable conditions for a good harvest, the UN estimates that approximately 15.8 million people will need emergency food assistance.

The report attributes the difficult food security situation primarily to the lingering effects of drought in regions including Afar, Amhara, Tigray, and northern Somali.

In July 2024, Addis Standard reported a worsening drought crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, compounded by a lack of humanitarian aid and the ongoing effects of the two-year conflict in the area.

Tigray officials warned at the time that 2.1 million people were facing the threat of starvation, while an additional 2.4 million were reliant on unreliable aid supplies.

The situation in Amhara region has also been dire.

In May 2024, the Amhara Disaster Prevention and Food Security Program Coordinating Commission reported a sharp increase in individuals seeking assistance in the region, reaching over 2.5 million due to drought and security-related challenges.

The recent FAO report also indicated that floods and inter-communal conflict have led to large-scale displacement and significant livelihood losses across the country.

While the organization noted that the overall food security situation has improved since last September, it warns that southern and southeastern pastoral areas are likely to see an increase in food insecurity levels between October and December 2024. AS