Ethiopia ranks 97th out of 117 qualifying countries in the 2019 Global Hunger Index (GHI) with a score of 28.9 meaning there are many people in the country that are starving and climate change is making things worse.
Eight European states came together to create the report using four categories: undernourishment, child wasting, child stunting, and child mortality.
They look at caloric deficiencies and poor nutrition. The undernourishment indicator captures the nutrition situation of the population as a whole, while the indicators specific to children reflect the nutrition status within a particularly vulnerable subset of the population for whom a lack of dietary energy, protein, and/or micronutrients (essential vitamins and minerals) leads to a high risk of illness, poor physical and cognitive development, and death.
“The rank shows that we have a long way to go to meet our sustainable development Goals Particularly Goal 2, which is zero hunger.” said Kaba Urgessa, State Minister of Agriculture. He added that the country has the fastest growing economy in the region, it remains one of the poorest with 23 percent of the population living below the poverty line.
Though measuring hunger is complicated, the global hunger index (GHI) has been designated and used as a tool to compressively measure hunger at the global, regional and national level.
“We need to work together will all stakeholders to eradicate hunger,” the State Minister said.
According to the Minister, The entire dependency on the ratified agriculture, subsistence agriculture, low genetic potential of indigenous animals and poor animal husbandry practices ,limited access of water and animal feed the wide spread of diseases and parasites, are among the factors contributing to the problem of under nutrition. Ethiopia needs to improve irrigation practices as climate change is expected to impact 70pct of the population.
Poor feeding practices for infants and children is a major factor behind these troubling numbers.
GHI scores are calculated each year to assess progress and setbacks in combating hunger and to raise awareness and understanding of the struggle against hunger, Based on the report,822 million people are suffering from hunger around the world; this number has been rising for three years, and it represents a bitter setback. In four countries Yemen, Lebanon, Central African Republic, and Venezuela the GHI scores are now higher than in 2000.
Climate change hinders food security
Sudan: African Development Bank approves $60 million loan to support Elnefeidi Group’s agricultural expansion.
The African Development Bank’s Board of Directors has approved a $60m loan to Elnefeidi Group Holding Company to help finance its long-term agriculture and food expansion programme.
The planned expansion includes increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing related infrastructure, food processing and distribution. It will directly contribute in developing Sudan’s livestock value chain (poultry and beef) by increasing the country’s export capacity for value-added livestock products. This will help reduce the economic value that the country loses by exporting millions of live animals each year.
“Agricultural transformation is one of the Bank’s top five strategic priorities and the Bank is delighted to have identified a viable private sector actor like Elnefeidi Group which has a proven track record and through which we can channel the Bank’s support” said Atsuko Toda, African Development Bank Director for Agriculture Finance and Rural Development.
Ethiopia Hacks! 7.0
The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa conducted its latest hackathon: “Digital Solutions to Elections-related Technology.” This was the seventh hackathon conducted by the U.S. Embassy in a series of twelve under its Ethiopia Hacks! program.
Ethiopia Hacks! is conducted in partnership with the Google Developers Group (GDG) and the Centre for Accelerated Women’s Economic Empowerment (CAWEE). Each hackathon challenges aspiring young tech developers to identify prototype solutions to community challenges in Ethiopia.
Subject matter and technology experts met December 13-15, 2019 at the Colonel John C. Robinson American Center in Addis Ababa to brainstorm and generate open-source, free, and easy-to-learn technology solutions for the good of society.
By supporting and developing an eco-system that promotes innovation and technology, the U.S. Embassy is investing the capacity of young Ethiopians to shape their futures. In total, the Ethiopia Hacks! program will invest in the capacity of 600 tech-savvy youth, who will have the opportunity to participate and generate solutions for their communities. Funding is provided jointly by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Alibaba Netpreneur Training program opens applications for Ethiopian entrepreneurs
As part of the agreements signed between Ethiopia and Alibaba Group announcing the establishment of an eWTP Hub in Ethiopia last month, the Alibaba Business School in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Innovation and Technology will be hosting the first Alibaba Netpreneur Training program for entrepreneurs and business owners from Ethiopia in March 2020. Applications for the program can be submitted through the Alibaba Netpreneur Training website from Dec 18th 2019 to Jan 19th 2020.
The 10-day program held at Alibaba’s headquarters in Hangzhou, China, is aimed at ambitious entrepreneurs and business leaders in Ethiopia who are committed to harnessing digital technology to transform local businesses for lasting success. The program aims to teach attendees to accelerate the digital development of their business and work with related parties to build success cases that will become the building blocks of their local communities and, ultimately, the larger digital economy.
