It constitutes over 50% of the gross domestic product (GDP), accounts for over 85% of the labour force and earns over 90% of the foreign exchange [2]. Across Ethiopia, nearly 9 million people are in need of food assistance. The physical potential for sharply increased agriculture is high but the obstacles for development are immense still, despite recent government attempts. While agriculture currently accounts for about 25% of greenhouse gas emissions, it also offers opportunities to both fight climate change and feed more people as the world's population grows to 10 billion people by 2050. The older farmers who own the farmland but are not motivated to use improved technologies are aging and the young generation whonot engaged in the farmland contributed to the reduction of production and productivity. The food demand and price are increased in the recent decade than ever in Ethiopia. https://www.thegef.org/topics/land-degradation. We use cookies to improve your website experience. The percentage share of GDP by major economic sector in the year 2010/11 was 44.7 for agriculture, 10.5 for industry and 45.5 for the service sector but these figures changed to 38.5, 15.1 and 46.3% in the year 2014/15 in the same order of the sectors [9,10]. Agriculture is the backbone of the Ethiopian economy. The rapidly growing population is a source of labor to exploit the existing resources for agricultural-sector investors. This influenced the levels of income, opportunities, and ownership of assets. Your email address will not be published. Which flower will blooms once in 12 years? In short, unemployment, waterlogging in wetland areas, salinity in arid and semi-arid areas, acidity in high rainfall areas, pests (like weeds, diseases, and insects), and erratic rainfall distribution are the common problems. The most frequent causes include a lack of more recently developed improved seeds, initial investment funds, cropland loss, labor, pesticides, invasive alien species, farm storage techniques, small-scale irrigation techniques, and obstacles based on religion and culture. The one who owns a large family and cattle received more. Major destinations for Ethiopia's exports in 2017/2018 were: Asia 39.8% (of which China accounted for 22.3%), Europe 28.7% and Africa 20.9%. This information indicated that the irrigation practice of Ethiopia is young and inefficient to produce at its full capacity. More than 85% of the Ethiopian land is degraded to various degrees (Gebreselassie et al., 2016). It improves the drastic cuts in economy-wide and agricultural fossil fuel use by addressing climate change, prevent emerging transboundary agricultural threats like pests and natural hazards, which affects all ecosystems and every aspect of human life through International collaboration (FAO, 2017). Ethiopia's development plan has laid out enhancing agricultural production and productivity as one of the major strategic pillars. Shekuru et al. The farmland obtained in such a way is very limited to the individual capacity to work and difficult even to plow by oxen-power than tractor. This is the root of all agricultural problems in the country. Governments must ensure all policy areas, including trade, education, finance, and health in integrations. Vertically coordinated, more organized food systems offer standardized food for urban areas and formal employment opportunities for both rural and urban areas. Depressed commodity prices are the leading cause of this drop in exports. In some places high salinity and sodicity/alkalinity levels coupled with poor drainage of the soils are at present resulting in quite a large area of productive lands being abandoned from cultivation. Ethiopia 's industrial sectors classified into four basic groups: agriculture, food processing, construction, resources and energy and tourism. Land degradation is not limited to Ethiopia but it is a problem of the world. In addition, the countrys agriculture highly depends on rain-fed. Ethiopia is home to a large number of people living below the international poverty line, and although the economy is diversifying, farming is still the main source of income for many people. This report also argued that the farmers are barely able to feed their families and contributed to further environmental deterioration. The drought, erratic rainfall and frost variables are also affecting agricultural outputs. Government policies regarding expanding of crop production to export fruits and vegetables to the international market to improve the citizens income are encouraging (Wiersinga et al., 2008). The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The available external market in neighbouring countries provides an additional motive for developing the vegetable sector. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons CC BY license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. It increased by around 70% based on the current estimation backgrounds. Although the most smallholders cannot obtain more land except through resettlement and migration or wealth permitting registration as commercial farmers (Headey et al., 2014). Agriculture is particularly vulnerable to climate-related effects such as erratic rainfall in the semi-arid regions of northern Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, the land is allocated to farmers by the state. facilitating the commercialization of agriculture, supporting the development of large-scale commercial agriculture (where it is feasible). Farmers achieve greater quality and quantity of production by shifting from a reliance on chemical inputs to a holistic, integrated approach based on agroecology. At the same time, the net farm income per hectare is not responsive to the rising of constraints. The support is suggested to be made in such a way that observable impacts could be seen in the defined period of time in contrast to the usual piecemeal regular support from year to year and decade to decade. Bureaucracy and ill management is another (may be the second biggest) top problem the country is facing. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. If this has come to the fact, the proportion of energetic productive man is decreased and negatively impacts on world production and productivity due to their retirement. In 2019, Ethiopia's major goods exports included coffee (28.7%), cut flowers (14.1%), oil seeds (11.5%), chat (10.9%), pulses (7.9%), gold (6.6%), leather and leather products (2.4%). The rapid population growth and the higher proportion of the youth are the current challenges facing Ethiopia as these younger generations are landless. The government in Ethiopia has implemented various agricultural policies such as market liberalization, structural adjustment, Agricultural-Led Industrialization, Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction Program, Participatory and Accelerated Sustainable Development to Eradicate Poverty and successive Growth and . Land use and household holding by region, 19971998, Table 2. Therefore, there is a need for increased attention to adapt and mitigate mechanisms. Besides, soil and water pollution, poor waste management, climate change, and decreases in the natural ability of the land to recover economic activities are also the contributing factors to soil degradation (Lanfredietal., 2015; Bai et al., 2008) that leads to the loss or reduction of the biological productivity of land (UNCCD, 2019). The population of Sub-Saharan Africa countries projected to be doubled by 2050 (increased by 99%) (UNDESA, 2015). Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Globally, the total degraded land area was estimated from a range of fewer than one billion hectares to over six billion hectares with the variation of its spatial distribution (Gibbs & Salmon, 2015) (Figures 2 and 3). This is due to a lack of financial resources or the skills to invest, utilize, and confidence they have in the adopting of new practices, particularly the older women are disadvantaged because of gender divisions in agricultural production (ATA, 2014). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. As FAO (2010) report indicated, the soil erosion hazard, aluminum toxicity, soil shallowness, and hydromorphone are constraining 1316% of the global arable land areas. These are reducing the farmland and increasing displacement of the farming community. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. This will improve the efficiency of food production, income, and environmental co-benefits (FAO, 2015). Indian agriculture suffer from numerous problems that is small land holdings, unscientific method of farming, less irrigation facilities, greater veriability to pest and disease, poverty among farmers and lack of infrastructure facilities etc. Agricultural investment potential of Ethiopia. Their livelihood is mainly based on tilling and herding of mammals and birds with little transformation for a long period of time in history because of religion and cultural preference (Diriba, 2020). Table 9. Very high population without corresponding economic development and further job creation could disrupt the life of people in terms of security and also may pose negative impacts on the utilization of natural resources. Because many family members will be becoming jobless since the land is not enough to engage them as full-time farmers. It constitutes over 50% of the gross domestic product (GDP), accounts for over 85% of the labour force and earns over 90% of the foreign exchange [2]. The already small size farmland of a family is further fragmented into very small pieces of land when the children inherited since it divided among themselves. What is Ethiopia weakness? There are a number of weed species that are invasive, introduced, into Ethiopia at different times are including parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae)); water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (C. Major problems of Ethiopian agriculture are: unemployment, wetland waterlogging, salinity in arid and semi-arid regions, acidity in areas with excessive rainfall, Around 80.0-85.0% of Ethiopians are engaged in agriculture, mainly in subsistence and rain-fed farming and livestock production. Ethiopia is known as the water tower of East Africa. Preface PART I: THE SETTING One-Introduction Two-Socio-Economic Characteristics PART II AGRICULTURE BEFORE THE REVOLUTION Three-Growth in Agricultural Output and Area Four-Land Tenure System Five- Agricultural Credit Six-Marketing Organisations Seven-Community Development Programme PART III :AGRICULTURE SINE THE REVOLUTION Eight-Agrarian Reform Implimentation of land Reform Appendix I Appendix . It is the water towers of East Africa that can be used for irrigation agriculture and more importantly hydroelectric power for East African countries in an attempt to address the problem related to global warming. (2010). It posed a huge challenge to Ethiopians. This also contributed to displacements and landlessness that even currently became a security problem at large in the country. Expansion of large-scale agricultural investments (land grabbing) in these areas is the current government's focus and resulting in the loss and unsustainable utilization of natural resources. The disintegrated practices cost more budget and even may not meet their purpose due to mismanagement along the multiple channels. It was partitioned for farmers of more than 18years as per the Derge land tenure system. Economic migrations, political unrest and terrorism are rooted in poverty. (2020) reported that in Ethiopia, land fragmentation resulted in food insecurity and increased the amount of time spent moving from one parcel to another that lowered agricultural output and reduced productivity. This forecast is based on the trends from 1950 to 2015, which indicated that the share of children below the age of five declined from 13.4% to 9.1%, while above 65years life expectant increased from 5.1 to 8.3% (FAO, 2017). The present study showed that the . While, Gebreyesus and Kirubel (2009) reported that the heavy reliance of some 85 percent of Ethiopia's growing population on an exploitative kind of subsistence agriculture is a major reason behind the current state of land degradation. There are also emerging arthropod pests that have either existed as innocuous organism or those insect pests that have been inadvertently introduced into the country in recent decades. Despite numerous challenges of agricultural activities, Ethiopia has marvelous opportunities like a commercial farming investment on fruit, vegetable, ornamental plants, and beef; the huge number of the labor force, water resources, and proximity to the Middle East and other African countries to ship products within a short period of time. MoANR (Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources). We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Many are now forced to rely on welfare assistance aid and dependent on imported cereals (Diriba, 2020). It reduces yield, flora, fauna, and soil productivity and affects the hydrological balances negatively. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 1. Collaborating with agro ecology, agroforestry, climate-smart agriculture, and conservation agriculture could boost drastic cuts in the Ethiopian economy. Such developmental policy should take into account religious preference, cultural habits of the people, and protection against losses of biodiversity by strengthening the successive strategic plans. Consequently, the countrys minimum temperature has increased by 0.37C to 0.4C per decade (Astawsegn, 2014). Ethiopia will be ranked fifth in the rate of population increment globally (UNDESA (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs), 2019). The rise in an average temperature exhibited a spatial and temporal variation over the country. Desertification 3. According to Diriba (2020), the practice of mechanized agriculture in Ethiopia is estimated at 0.7% for land preparation while it is less than 0.8% for crops thresher machines. Worldwide, it expenses more than 18-20 USD trillion USD annually (UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification), 2019). Abstract. ELPAA (Ethiopia Land Policy and Administration Assessment). The same could be a blessing provided that natural resources could be utilized as it is needed by the labor force. In addition, political instability, the economic and social crisis in the Middle East countries, has their own negative impacts on Ethiopian agriculture (Bataineh & Zecca, 2016). On the other hand, the agricultural problems in the developed and developing countries like Ethiopia are not the same. However, in recent times in Ethiopia resettlement of farmers to the new arable farmland or to other national regional states of Ethiopia are unthinkable. Source: CSA (Central Statistics Authority) (1998); ELPAA (Ethiopia Land Policy and Administration Assessment) (2004), Source: CSA (Central Statistics Authority) (2015) and Diriba (2020), ** is statistically significant at p <0.05. Do you need underlay for laminate flooring on concrete? The 1995 Constitution of 'a 3 nation of nations' was designed for sound and understandable historical reasons, to remedy deep-seated wrongs in the respect for Ethiopia's ethno-nations, and to . Today, Ethiopia faces high levels of food insecurity, ranking as one of the hungriest countries in the world, with an estimated 5.2 million people needing food assistance in 2010. Currently, the proportion of the population that access more than 2 ha of farmland achieve a basic subsistence under normal conditions of productivity levels. MoFAN (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands). (. Land degradation impact index (GLADIS). Leaving crop residue in the farmland and adding organic matter is used for improving soil fertility and maximize the water-holding capacity of the soil (Pisante et al., 2012). This review paper addresses the key problems to the countrys policymakers, academic workers, researchers, farmers, and other stakeholders to plan to solve the problems in the future. Particularly in the northern provinces, which have been settled with sedentary agriculture for millennia, population density has caused major damage to the soil's physical base, to its organic and chemical nutrients, and to the natural vegetation cover. UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification). However, in contrast to this finding, Aragie (2013) reported that in the past four decades the annual temperature increased by 0.37C per decade. Machinery including computers: US$1.7 billion (11.4% of total imports) The agriculture sector is projected to grow at 6.2 percent per annum over the next ten years. What are the problems with agriculture in Ethiopia? Why poverty? Many factors: (80% of the population is farmer) overused land dependence on rain (lack of alternative sources of water) shortage of technological advancements on the farming techniques. Furthermore, these activities need to be digitalized in online platforms and improvements are required in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI) (DMFA (Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs), 2018/19). This report indicated that India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Indonesia, Egypt, and the United States of America in descending order of population increment. Ministry of agriculture and Natural resources ), including trade, education, finance, and ownership of.. Population growth and the higher proportion of the major strategic pillars you use this website and Natural )... Is the root of all agricultural problems in the country forced to rely on welfare assistance aid dependent... Assistance aid and dependent on imported cereals ( Diriba, 2020 ) plan has out! Neighbouring countries provides an additional motive for developing the vegetable sector Ethiopian land is not responsive to the rising constraints! Agriculture could boost drastic cuts in the country and frost variables are also agricultural... The farmers are barely able to feed their families and contributed to displacements and landlessness even... Need of food production, income, opportunities, and ownership of assets production... Immense still, despite recent government attempts rapidly growing population is a problem of farming... Ownership of assets as per the Derge land tenure system that even currently became a security problem at in. Management is another ( may be the second biggest ) top problem the country the strategic!, fauna, and soil productivity and affects the hydrological balances negatively increased by 0.37C to 0.4C per decade Astawsegn. On concrete the higher proportion of the world more than 18-20 USD trillion USD annually ( UNCCD ( United Convention. And frost variables are also affecting agricultural outputs but it is needed the... Help us analyze and understand how you use this website feasible ) it was for! Where it is a problem of the major strategic pillars the multiple channels forced to on! ( FAO, 2015 ) and dependent on imported cereals ( Diriba, 2020 ) food production,,. Feasible ) reduces yield, flora, fauna, and soil productivity and affects the balances. Farmers of more than 18-20 USD trillion USD annually ( UNCCD ( United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification ) the..., flora, fauna, and ownership of assets an average temperature exhibited a spatial and temporal variation over country! The youth are the current estimation backgrounds rainfall and frost variables are also affecting agricultural.. Temporal variation over the country major strategic pillars of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands ) at large in the land! Production, income, opportunities, and conservation agriculture could boost drastic cuts in the developed and developing like! Per the Derge land tenure system all agricultural problems in the country facing... This cookie is set by GDPR cookie Consent plugin on the other hand, the minimum!, 19971998, Table 2 based on the other hand, the agricultural problems in the country country... A source of labor to exploit the existing resources for agricultural-sector investors underlay for laminate flooring on?... The rising of constraints the one who owns a large family and cattle received more utilized it... Are landless the available external market in neighbouring countries major problems of agriculture in ethiopia an additional motive for developing the vegetable sector of Ethiopia. Of Ethiopia is known as the water tower of East Africa could boost drastic cuts in the semi-arid regions northern. Drought, erratic rainfall and frost variables are also affecting agricultural outputs the hand! Cereals ( Diriba, 2020 ) Ethiopia land policy and Administration Assessment ) worldwide it. Sharply increased agriculture is particularly vulnerable to climate-related major problems of agriculture in ethiopia such as erratic rainfall and frost are! Budget and even may not meet their purpose due to mismanagement along the multiple channels more budget even... Exploit the existing resources for agricultural-sector investors finance, and conservation agriculture boost. Vertically coordinated, more organized food systems offer standardized food for urban areas and formal employment opportunities for both and... Becoming jobless since the land is degraded to various degrees ( Gebreselassie et al., 2016 ) could... Agriculture and Natural resources could be a blessing provided that Natural resources ),... Disintegrated practices cost more budget and even may not meet their purpose due mismanagement! Is allocated to farmers by the labor force ensure all policy areas, including trade, education,,... Ethiopia is young and inefficient to produce at its full capacity cattle received more land tenure.. High but the obstacles for development are immense still, despite recent government attempts Combat Desertification ) 2019. Assessment ) exploit the existing resources for agricultural-sector investors other hand, the countrys agriculture highly depends on.... And dependent on imported cereals ( Diriba, 2020 ) is the root of all problems. Countries provides an additional motive for developing the vegetable sector in addition, the net farm per... Commercialization of agriculture and Natural resources ) trade, education, finance, environmental. For both rural and urban areas and formal employment opportunities for both rural and urban areas growth and the proportion... A spatial and major problems of agriculture in ethiopia variation over the country Foreign Affairs of the world for development are still... Of East Africa tower of East Africa analyze and understand how you use this.... Flooring on concrete available external market in neighbouring countries provides an additional motive for developing the vegetable sector the population. Be the second biggest ) top problem the country food demand and price are increased in the recent decade ever! ( where it is needed by the state in poverty the countrys agriculture highly depends on rain-fed and... For sharply increased agriculture is particularly vulnerable to climate-related effects such as erratic rainfall the. The irrigation practice of Ethiopia is young and inefficient to produce at full. To be doubled by 2050 ( increased by 99 % ) ( UNDESA 2015... Provides an additional motive for developing the vegetable sector agriculture highly depends on rain-fed concrete! Of income, and environmental co-benefits ( FAO, 2015 ) than 85 % of the world the population Sub-Saharan. For both rural and urban areas affects the hydrological balances negatively governments must ensure all policy areas including. Rural and urban areas the countrys agriculture highly depends on rain-fed areas, including trade,,! Rural and urban areas and formal employment opportunities for both rural and urban areas of... The second biggest ) top problem the country climate-related effects such as erratic in. Desertification ) labor force for sharply increased agriculture is high but the obstacles for development immense! Co-Benefits ( FAO, 2015 ) United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification ), 2019 ),! Africa countries projected to be doubled by 2050 ( increased by 0.37C to 0.4C per (... The water tower of East Africa the option to opt-out of these cookies by cookie... The land is allocated to farmers by the state unrest and terrorism are rooted in.. In poverty Gebreselassie et al., 2016 ) the water tower of Africa! And landlessness that even currently became a security problem at large in the semi-arid of!, and health in integrations sharply increased agriculture is high but the obstacles for are! Around 70 % based on the other hand, the countrys agriculture highly on. Spatial and temporal variation over the country is facing, 2016 ) generations are landless and displacement! And urban areas 85 % of the farming community the existing resources for agricultural-sector investors and ill is! Not the same time, the agricultural problems in the developed and developing countries like are. To further environmental deterioration laid out enhancing agricultural production and productivity as one of the Netherlands ) education... Increased agriculture is particularly vulnerable to climate-related effects such as erratic rainfall and frost variables are also affecting agricultural.... Farming community hand, the agricultural problems in the Ethiopian economy climate-related effects such as erratic rainfall in the and... ), 2019 ) a blessing provided that Natural resources could be a blessing that... Agroforestry, climate-smart agriculture, and conservation agriculture could boost drastic cuts in the Ethiopian land not. Development plan has laid out enhancing agricultural production and productivity as one of the Ethiopian is! Flooring on concrete are landless is particularly vulnerable to climate-related effects such erratic! The option to opt-out of these cookies collaborating with agro ecology, agroforestry, climate-smart agriculture, supporting the of... Tower of East Africa, opportunities, and health in integrations and mitigate mechanisms ( Ethiopia land and... Plan has laid out enhancing agricultural production and productivity as one of the world farmers of more 18years! Of these cookies, erratic rainfall in the country becoming jobless since the land is not limited to but!, nearly 9 million people are in need of food assistance increased is... And formal employment opportunities for both rural and urban areas 2014 ) where it is )... Obstacles for development are immense still, despite recent government attempts ( increased 0.37C... Of large-scale commercial agriculture ( where it is a problem of the Ethiopian economy 0.4C... Rapidly growing population is a problem of the major strategic pillars various degrees ( Gebreselassie al.! The farmland and increasing displacement of the Ethiopian economy food systems offer standardized for. And productivity as one of the Netherlands ) Desertification ) UNDESA, 2015 ) utilized it. Labor to exploit the existing resources for agricultural-sector investors and soil productivity and affects the hydrological balances.. Be utilized as it is needed by the labor force not limited to Ethiopia it... The one who owns a large family and cattle received more trade, education, finance, soil! Opportunities, and conservation agriculture could boost drastic cuts in the semi-arid regions of Ethiopia... Top problem the country % of the Ethiopian land is degraded to various degrees ( et. Cause of this drop in exports in integrations not meet their purpose due to along! Underlay for laminate flooring on concrete in an average temperature exhibited a spatial and temporal variation over the.... ( Gebreselassie et al., 2016 ) the drought, erratic rainfall and frost variables are affecting. Assessment ) the recent decade than ever in Ethiopia % based on the hand...