The Policy Environment for Linking Agriculture and Nutrition in Ethiopia

Type Working Paper
Title The Policy Environment for Linking Agriculture and Nutrition in Ethiopia
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2014
URL http://agridiet.ucc.ie/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/08/Tassew-WP2-FinalReport-28Aug.pdf
Abstract
Ethiopia is a Sub-Saharan country, located in the horn of Africa. The total area of the country is
around 1.1 million square kilometres, with great geographical diversity and topographical
variation, ranging in altitude from as high as 4,550 meters above sea level to as low as 110
meters below sea level. According to the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA, 2013,
p.28) the total population of Ethiopia in 2013 was approximately 88 million and this is expected
to rise to 137 million by 2037 under the medium-variant projection. Eight-three per cent of the
total population of the country is found in rural areas.
Ethiopia is predominantly an agrarian society, and agriculture plays an important role as the
primary source of food and essential nutrients as well as an important source of income,
especially for the poorer sections of the population. Agriculture contributed about 44 per cent of
the total GDP in 2010/11 (MoFED, 2013b), and is the dominant source of employment in the
rural areas and in the country. However, the limitation of production-focused agricultural
programs and interventions in feeding the country’s population and delivering improved
nutrition impacts has been observed for decades.Ethiopia is a Sub-Saharan country, located in the horn of Africa. The total area of the country is
around 1.1 million square kilometres, with great geographical diversity and topographical
variation, ranging in altitude from as high as 4,550 meters above sea level to as low as 110
meters below sea level. According to the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA, 2013,
p.28) the total population of Ethiopia in 2013 was approximately 88 million and this is expected
to rise to 137 million by 2037 under the medium-variant projection. Eight-three per cent of the
total population of the country is found in rural areas.
Ethiopia is predominantly an agrarian society, and agriculture plays an important role as the
primary source of food and essential nutrients as well as an important source of income,
especially for the poorer sections of the population. Agriculture contributed about 44 per cent of
the total GDP in 2010/11 (MoFED, 2013b), and is the dominant source of employment in the
rural areas and in the country. However, the limitation of production-focused agricultural
programs and interventions in feeding the country’s population and delivering improved
nutrition impacts has been observed for decades.

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