A Climate Trend Analysis of Ethiopia

Food Security Context: Complex Patterns of Climate, Climate Change, and Livelihoods Most rural people live in the highlands and middle-highlands, which comprise only one-third of the country, and this population tends to be concentrated primarily in Oromia or northern SNNPR. The seasonality of rainfall varies in different areas of Ethiopia. In the eastern Somali region, rains come twice a year–during the March–June Belg season, and during the October–December Deyr season. In the south-central part of the country, most areas receive both Belg and summer (June–September) Kiremt rains. Many farmers plant slowly maturing but high yielding ‘long cycle’ crops that grow during both the Belg and Kiremt seasons. In 2011, Ethiopia, with a population of 90.9 million (CIA, 2011) and a population growth rate of 3.2 percent (a doubling time of 22 years), faces increased levels of food insecurity. Pre-planned assistance provided by the Productive Safety Net Program supported some 7.4 million people, whereas an additional 4.5 million people required emergency humanitarian assistance because of decreased precipitation and extremely high food prices (FEWS NET, 2011). These 4.5 million people tended to be located in the south-central, southeastern, or eastern part of the country. Approximately 65 percent of these at-risk households relied primarily on agricultural livelihoods; the remainder were pastoralists or agro-pastoralists.