FAO support reinforces food security response to one of the worst El Niño-induced droughts on record

Figure: Seed distributions help farmers in Ethiopia bounce back after El Nino.

FAO 7 October 2016, Rome  - Ethiopia is about to complete one of the largest and most successful  seed distribution campaigns in the country's history, aimed at helping farmers to stay on their feet in the face of a blistering drought caused by El Niño, FAO said today.

More than 32 000 tonnes of seed have been distributed to around 1.7 million food and nutrition insecure households across Ethiopia's six major regions by the Government, FAO, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other humanitarian agencies. 

FAO has coordinated this massive campaign in close collaboration with the Government. These joint efforts have enhanced preparations for the critical summer meher planting season, from which an estimated 85 percent of Ethiopia's food supply is derived.

FAO's impact on household food consumption

To date, FAO has directly distributed close to 4 000 tonnes of seed to 168 000 households. An estimated 78 000 hectares of land have been cultivated and will likely yield close to 170 000 tonnes of crop production. 

With an estimated average of one tonne of crops per household per annum, or about 0.2 tonnes per person, the beneficiary families may now be able to meet their minimum food requirements for at least eight to ten months.

The El Niño-induced drought resulted in two failed planting seasons in 2015 in heavily agriculture-dependent Ethiopia, decimating household seed supplies across the country and severely compromising national food security. The drought led to 10.2 million people requiring emergency food and livelihoods assistance at the start of 2016. It is now estimated that around 9.7 million Ethiopians still require assistance.

See more: http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/445286/icode/