Addise Amado, Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology

(EGST). Swedish World Food Day celebrations and

the Celebration FAO 70 years on the theme of “Social Protection and Agriculture: Breaking the Cycle of Rural Poverty”.

Surviving Shocks and Enhanced Food Security in Ethiopia: The Role of Social Protection

State of food insecurity in EthiopiaIn 2011:

34% of rural population below national food poverty line

44% of children under age of five were moderately or severely stunted, reflecting chronic malnutrition

The average food gap – the period in the year when households reported being unable to feed themselves – was 3 months

Estimates of current annual economic costs of under- nutrition at 55.5 billion birr (£1.85bn), or 16.5% of GDP (UNICEF 2013)

For many, poor rains or adverse price movements threaten their ability to grow enough to feed themselves and / or earn income to buy food (Dorosh and Rashid 2012; Rahmato et al 2013).

Household responses to food insecurity

Risk minimization – crop and herd dispersal, non-farm income diversification, asset and other savings accumulation

Risk absorption – sale of livestock and non-productive assets, search for new sources of income, collection of debts

Risk taking to survive – reduced consumption, sale of productive assets, reduced socialization

In response to the 2002 drought, the Government of Ethiopia revised its Food Security Strategy (FSS)

Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) :

Cash transfers and Food for Work (FFW) program

Components and stages of transition:Emergency RELIEF Rehabilitation Development

The evolution of social protection in Ethiopia

Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP)

PSNP has three distinctive objectives:smoothing food consumption in chronically food insecure smallholder households, by transferring food or cash to buy food during the ‘hunger gap’ months;

protecting household assets by avoiding damaging ‘coping strategies’ such as selling productive assets or taking on high‑interest loans to buy food;

building community assets by selecting public works activities that create infrastructure with developmental potential (eg feeder roads).

Biggest funders - PSNP$m % $m %

Indicative commitmentsWB 850 35.5% 600 23.0% -29%USAID 577 24.1% 550 21.0% -5%DFID 398 16.6% 412 15.8% 4%

GoE - cash contribution 10 0.4% 285 10.9% 2748%GoE - operational expenditure 213 8.2%

EU 97 4.0% 130 5.0% 35%DFATD (Canada) 206 8.6% 115 4.4% -44%

WFP 50 2.1% 100 3.8% 100%IrishAid 92 3.8% 68 2.6% -26%

RNE (Netherlands) 71 3.0% 68 2.6% -5%Danida 22 0.9% 25 1.0% 13%UNICEF - 0.0% 25 1.0%SIDA

Total commitments 2,395 100% 2,614 100% 9%Total costs

core programme budget 2,443 3,412 40%GoE operational budget 213

total costs 3,625 Total financing gap

against total costs 1,011 28%

never estimated

increase / decrease

2010-2015 2015-2020

Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP)

PSNP Phases1st Phase (2005 – 2006), ‘the transition phase’

2nd Phase (2007 – 2009), ‘the consolidation phase’

3rd Phase (2010 – 2014/15) ‘the integration phase’

4th Phase (2015 – 2020) ‘systems building phase’

Outcome of PSNP Phase 3: Highlights Coverage: 7.8 m beneficiaries (2009/10) down to 6m (2014/15

plan): 75-80% public works beneficiaries; 15-20% Direct Support. Transfers for six months p.a.

Contingency budgets and Federal Risk Financing Mechanisms to provide first response to seasonal acute need; a bridge to humanitarian

Form of transfer: in 2013/14, 43% received cash only, 30% food only, and 27% a mix

Accelerating graduation rates since 2010/11 (unrealistic? politically-driven?)

Community-based public works planning Majority of public works address soil and water conservation;

others include rural roads, school rooms, health posts, small-scale irrigation, etc.

Some significant achievements, but has not fit together as hoped, and missing (unrealistic) targets set by Government

Challenges and critique of the PSNP

Heavily dependent on external, donor support

Lack of sensitivity to gender and children requirements

Coordination and capacity problems – MIS

Political elements:Target imposed graduation

Lack of efficiency and effectiveness

Sustainability of public works controversial

What’s new in PSNP 4, 2015-2020? Lessons:

1 – Shift from a programme to a system-SP,MIS

2 – Expansion-10m/yr;319/411 woreda;

3 – Increase in government financing-57 to 149m

4 – Redesign of the interface with humanitarian food aid

5 – An increase in transfer levels-6 to 12 months;4kg+pulses

6 – A focus on nutrition-focus on children and women

7 – A new approach to livelihoods support- productivity; off-farm income; links to waged employment

Tack! Thank you!