Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
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A
gricultural Drought in Ethiopia
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In Ethiopia, 85% of the population is engaged in agriculture (CSA, 1999).
Agriculture supplies a significant proportion of the raw materials for the
agro-industries, and accounts for 52% of the gross product and 90% of the
export earnings. A wide range of climatic, ecological, and socioeconomic
diversities influence Ethiopian agriculture. The dependency of most of the
population on rain-fed agriculture has made the country's economy ex-
tremely vulnerable to the effects of weather and climate, which are highly
variable both temporally and spatially. If rains fail in one season, the farmer
is unable to satisfy his needs and pay his obligations (tax, credit, etc). Farm-
ers remain in the bottom line of poverty and lead a risky life. Moreover,
due to climatic change and other human-induced factors, areas affected
by drought and desertification are expanding in Ethiopia (NMSA, 1996a;
WMO, 1986).
There are three major food supply systems in Ethiopia (IGADD, 1988;
Teshome, 1996): crop, livestock, and market-dependent systems. Crop-
based systems are practiced principally over the highlands of the country
and comprise a very diverse range of production, depending on altitude,
rainfall, soil type, and topography. Any surplus above the farmer's need
is largely dependent on, for example, good weather conditions, absence
of pests and diseases, availability of adequate human and animal power.
Failure of rains during any cropping season means shortage of food supply
that affects farmers and others. The livestock system constitutes about
10% of the total population, which is largely based in arid and semiarid
zones of the country. This system is well adapted to highly variable climatic
conditions and mainly depends on animals for milk and meat and is usually
supplemented by grains during nondrought years. Approximately 15%
of the Ethiopian population is market dependent and is affected by the
preceding two food supply systems. Its food supply (grain, pulses, and oil
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