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Ethiopia + 1 more

GIEWS Country Brief: Ethiopia 17-January-2012

Attachments

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

  • Above average 2011 main “meher” season cereal production is forecast

  • Good secondary “deyr” rains improve pasture in drought-affected areas

  • Cereal prices decline but year-on-year food inflation rates are still high at 35 percent in December 2011

  • Number of refugees in Ethiopia, mainly from Somalia, remains at record 260 000 people

Favourable outturn of the main “meher” season cereal harvest

Harvesting of 2011 “meher” season crops is almost complete. Good rains during the season, especially in main crop growing areas of western Amhara, western Oromiya and south-western parts of SNNPR have contributed to the optimistic forecast. In some areas of Tigray, eastern Amhara and south-eastern Oromiya, rain onset was late by 2 to 3 weeks, but subsequent favourable rains throughout the season were compensatory in most cases. Unexpected late rains during the last dekad of November had some negative effect on harvesting teff and wheat, but improved yields of late sown crops which were at vegetative stage in highlands and were favourable for grazing resources.

A report from an FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) which visited the country in November/December 2011, is expected to be issued soon.