Crop production Crop production and mean yields in and mean yields in

Ethiopia Ethiopia - - key for development in Growth key for development in Growth

Corridors Corridors

Veli PohjonenVeli PohjonenTana-Beles WME project, EthiopiaTana-Beles WME project, Ethiopia

Briefing forBriefing for

the Growth Corridor mission the Growth Corridor mission

June 5, 2010, Bahir DarJune 5, 2010, Bahir Dar

Situation 1984Situation 1984

Year of last big famineYear of last big famine 1 million people (farmers) left homesteads1 million people (farmers) left homesteads Population less than 40 millionPopulation less than 40 million Ecological judgement: country has Ecological judgement: country has

exceeded her carrying capacity (”the exceeded her carrying capacity (”the doomsday declaration”)doomsday declaration”)

Large soil & water conservation programs Large soil & water conservation programs were startedwere started

What happened since What happened since 1984 ?1984 ?

Change of government and political Change of government and political system in 1991system in 1991

Eritrea separatedEritrea separated Data series available in Faostat, and Data series available in Faostat, and

Global Information & Early Warning Global Information & Early Warning System (GIEWS) from 1993System (GIEWS) from 1993

In 2000s improvement in land tenure In 2000s improvement in land tenure and certificationand certification

Teff and oxen Teff and oxen ploughing ploughing typical in ETH typical in ETH highlandshighlands

Cereal production rises Cereal production rises 0.5 mill tonnes per year0.5 mill tonnes per year

Also area and Also area and mean yield mean yield increasingincreasing

Per capita Per capita cereal cereal productioproduction n increasesincreases

Amhara Cereals Amhara Cereals 1995/1996 to 1995/1996 to 2008/2009 2008/2009 (in graph Ethiopian calendar (in graph Ethiopian calendar years)years)

South Gondar Cereals 1997/1998 South Gondar Cereals 1997/1998 to 2008/2009 to 2008/2009 (in graph Ethiopian calendar (in graph Ethiopian calendar years)years)

Cereals in Cereals in South South Gondar, Gondar, Dera Dera woredaworeda

Regional & Regional & zonal mean zonal mean yields are yields are increasingincreasing

Production and mean Production and mean yield increase is found yield increase is found in all major crop in all major crop classesclasses

• CerealsCereals

•PulsesPulses

•OilcropsOilcrops

•Roots cropsRoots crops

•FruitsFruits

•VegetablesVegetables

2008 for pulses:2008 for pulses:production rise 4.41 % / production rise 4.41 % / yearyearmean yield rise 2.22 % / mean yield rise 2.22 % / yearyear

Relative production Relative production increment (per cent in a increment (per cent in a year) in 2008year) in 2008

Fruits 5.61

Oilcrops 5.46

Pulses 4.41

Cereals 3.75

Root crops 2.99

Vegetables 2.79

Relative mean yield Relative mean yield increment (per cent in a increment (per cent in a year) in 2008year) in 2008

Oilcrops 2.82

Pulses 2.22

Cereals 1.59

Vegetables 1.09

Fruits 0.82

Root crops 0.57

ConclusionsConclusions Farmers did not listen to the 1984 ecological Farmers did not listen to the 1984 ecological

”doomsday declarations””doomsday declarations” They have procuded more in production They have procuded more in production

(tn/country), in mean yield (kg/ha) and per (tn/country), in mean yield (kg/ha) and per capita (kg/cap) capita (kg/cap)

Soil & water conservation (now watershed Soil & water conservation (now watershed development) efforts and projects since 1984 development) efforts and projects since 1984 have also had positive impact have also had positive impact

This is a good basis for further agricultural This is a good basis for further agricultural development in Ethiopia in general and in the development in Ethiopia in general and in the Growth Corridors especiallyGrowth Corridors especially

Thank youThank you

Presentation can be downloaded in Presentation can be downloaded in

http://tana-beleswme.org

and in and in

http://veli.pohjonen.org