Ethiopia Country Programme (2012–2017)

This operation has been modified as per budget revision 12

Ethiopia’s economy has grown substantially over the last five years but the country remains one of the world’s poorest. The scale of food insecurity and malnutrition remains serious, and 23 million people have insufficient income to meet their food needs. Ethiopia is prone to natural disasters, and weather-related shocks have exacerbated food insecurity. At least half of the highlands are degraded, and pastoral areas are over-grazed. Primary school enrolment rates have increased, but high dropout rates persist: 2.8 million children of primary school age, many of them from pastoralist areas, do not attend school. HIV prevalence is a concern, especially in urban areas: 1 million people are living with HIV and there are 850,000 orphans.  Food market systems function poorly, with markets unable to shift surpluses to deficit areas. Despite the critical role of women in marketing and agriculture, gender inequality remains widespread and women farmers have limited access to resources and services.

WFP’s programme in Ethiopia is based on its country strategy for 2012–2015 and is in line with the United Nations Development Assistance Framework; it is designed to support the Government’s growth and transformation agenda. Building on lessons learned, WFP will focus on addressing the causes of vulnerability, focusing on capacity development and enabling hand-over. Food transfers are relevant for addressing food and nutrition security; they will complement capacity development by providing replicable examples of community approaches for empowering women, girls and people living with HIV and AIDS. WFP will explore cash-based responses where appropriate. Food assistance will reach up to 1.8 million people annually.

Country programme 200253 aims to: i) increase the capacity of Ethiopia’s disaster risk management system; ii) enhance natural resource management in food-insecure

communities and resilience to weather-related shocks; iii) support access to primary schools; iv) facilitate access to HIV care, treatment and support; and v) promote opportunities for livelihood diversification and improved access to food markets.

The programme will contribute to the United Nations Development Assistance Framework outcomes related to sustainable economic growth and risk reduction, basic social services, capacity development and women, young people and children. It is in line with Strategic Objectives 2, 4 and 5 and Millennium Development Goals 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7.

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BR 09 to Ethiopia Country Programme (CP) 200253 proposes an extension in time of the school meals component for an additional six months, from January to June 2017. Plans to transition to a stand-alone development project by 2017 did not materialize owing to the need for further discussions with the government and donor partners as WFP looks to support a Government-led school meals programme.