An Ethiopian boy holds a baby goat.

Food for the Hungry Ethiopia

At the core of our strategy to support Ethiopia’s Economic Growth and Transformation Plan is the Feed the Future Initiative.

In 2009, the U.S. Government pledged at least $3.5 billion dollars over a period of three years as part of Feed the Future, a global initiative to improve agricultural development and food security in 19 countries in need. Through Feed the Future, the United States supports the Government of Ethiopia’s commitment to country-led development programs that facilitate economic growth and development. These initiatives also provide us and collaborating U.S. Government agencies with a unique and promising opportunity to assist in implementing a transformative food security strategy aligned with Ethiopian objectives.

Ethiopia can be divided into three regions based on agricultural and ecological conditions:

Three Ethiopias.

• Potentially Productive Ethiopia: High rainfall, fertile soils, predictable climate, larger landholdings, crop, vegetable, and dairy production

• Food Insecure Ethiopia: Low rainfall, irregular climate, small landholdings, degraded soils, labor, sheep and goat production

• Pastoral Ethiopia: Large grazing areas, irregular climate, cattle and camel production

The Feed the Future strategy [PDF, 1.3MB] in Ethiopia pilots new and innovative approaches that link these three regions into a comprehensive network that generates economic growth for Ethiopia. Under Feed the Future, the United States also strengthens its overall approach by integrating activities and initiatives that address cross-cutting issues of nutrition, climate change, private sector development, humanitarian assistance, governance and gender.

Our Feed the Future strategy focuses on three core components: Agricultural growth-enabled food security, linking the vulnerable to markets, and fostering a regulatory environment and private sector conducive to economic growth.

Activities

• Please click here to see a summary of USAID Ethiopia Feed the Future activities

Feature Articles

• Breaking Gender Stereotypes to Build a Business [Feed the Future blog]

• Public-Private Partnership Delivers Seeds of Change in Ethiopia [Frontlines]

• Something's Brewing in Ethiopia [Frontlines]

• Livestock Production: Empowering Women in Ethiopia [Impact Blog]

• A Sweet Deal for Ethiopian Honey [Transforming Lives]

• Smallholder Farmers Strive to Support Relief Efforts in Ethiopia [Frontlines]

• Empowering Smallholder Farmers with Inputs and Information [Feed the Future Blog]

• Agriculture in Africa: Less Talk, More Action [Feed the Future Blog]

Related Resources

• 2016 Feed the Future Progress Report

• Feed the Future: 2016 Year in Review

• U.S. Government Feed the Future Initiative

• Sustaining Feed the Future Progress

• Progress to End Hunger Photo Set [Flickr]

• Feed the Future Newsletters

• Food Security and Nutrition Network

• Protection of Pastoralists' Land Rights: Lessons From the International Experience [PDF, 538 KB]

• New Alliance website

• 2014-2015 New Alliance Progress Report

• Technical Brief: Resilience-Building in the Afar National Regional State, Ethiopia [PDF, 453KB]

• Agricultural Production and Children's Diets: Evidence from Rural Ethiopia [PDF, 1 MB]

Related News

Coffee, Chickpea, Honey, Maize, Pulses, Sesame

• USAID-DuPont Partnership Helps Hundreds of Thousands of Ethiopian Farmers Transform Production and Livelihoods (May 8, 2017)

• USAID Activity Puts Ethiopian Agribusiness on World Map (February 16, 2016)

• Annual Conference Celebrates Women Agribusiness Leaders (January 13, 2016)

• ECX Launches Independent Food Traceability System (November 12, 2015)

• USAID Expands Wheat Flour Fortification (October 8, 2015)

• The U.S. Impact Angel Network Announces Investment in Ethiopia (October 4, 2015)

• USAID Provides Business and Leadership Training for Women in Agribusiness (September 8, 2015)

• U.S. Congressional Delegation Looks at Impact of American-Ethiopian Development Cooperation (August 27, 2015)

• New Chickpea Processing Facility in Adama (August 25, 2015)

• New Fertilizer Blending Facility Opens in Ethiopia (June 7, 2015)

• Ethiopian Coffee Generating More Worldwide Promotion (April 2, 2015)

• USAID and Irish Aid Collaborate to Award Ethiopian Dairy Innovation Fund Recipients (March 16, 2015)

• USAID Celebrates Women Leaders in Agribusiness (January 21, 2015)

• USAID Works to Strengthen Ethiopia’s Pulses, Oilseeds and Spices Sector (November 12, 2014)

• USAID Equips ECX Coffee Certification Labs to Expand to Specialty Markets (October 7, 2014)

• New Equipment to Enable Smallholder Farmers to Reduce Post Harvest Loss, Increase Productivity, Sales Income (September 30, 2014)

• Over 11 Million Smallholder Farmers Poised to Double Their Yields From the Blending Fertilizer Initiative (June 1, 2014)

• American Farmers Offer Assistance to Ethiopia’s Agriculture Sector (March 31, 2014)

• Sesame Warehouses Open Export Opportunities for Farmers in Amhara and Tigray Regions (March 27, 2014)

• USAID Sponsored Innovation Lab to Improve Chickpea Production Launched in Ethiopia (February 24, 2014)

• Forum Connects Investors to Opportunities in Sesame, Dairy and Honey Sectors (January 16, 2014)

• USAID Facilitates U.S. Investment into Ethiopian Coffee Company (November 22, 2013)

• USAID and EPOSPEA Join Forces to Market Ethiopian Pulses, Oilseeds, and Spices (November 14, 2013)

• Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Haslach: Promotion of Ethiopian Coffee and Export Opportunities (November 4, 2013)

• New Maize Alliance Agreement Will Connect Smallholder Farmers to Supply Chain Partners (August 27, 2013)

• Ethiopia Launches New Multi-Sector National Nutrition Program (June 24, 2013)

• Secretary Kerry Congratulates Ethiopia Commodity Exchange for Their Achievement (May 26, 2013)

• USAID Project to Increase Availability of Affordable and Nutritious Foods in Ethiopia (April 18, 2013)

• USAID and Ethiopian Commodities Exchange to Strengthen Coffee Trading and Marketing (January 31, 2013)

• Remarks by USAID Mission Director Weller: First International Ethiopian Coffee Exporters Conference (November 8, 2012)

• Government of Ethiopia, USAID, World Food Program and Pepsico Launch Ethiopia Chickpea Project (May 9, 2012)

Land

• USAID Announces Launch of Ethiopian Land Research and Development Network Housed at Bahir Dar University (November 25, 2014)

• USAID Launches New Land Administration Program to Improve Agricultural Productivity (June 27, 2013)

• Strengthening Land Administration Program Wins Praise From Ethiopian Partners (November 26, 2012)

Livestock and Dairy

• USAID Supported Jijiga Export Slaughter House (JESH) Will Connect Pastoralists With International Markets (February 25, 2016)

• USAID Inaugurates Livestock Feed Manufacturing Facility (November 19, 2015)

• The United States and the Netherlands Work Together to Strengthen Ethiopia's Dairy Sector (September 3, 2015)

• USAID Trains 63 Women to Succeed as Dairy and Livestock Entrepreneurs (June 19, 2015)

• USAID and Irish Aid Collaborate to Award Ethiopian Dairy Innovation Fund Recipients (March 16, 2015)

• USAID Graduates More Than 100 Women Trained in Entrepreneurship and Leadership (February 28, 2015)

• USAID Partner Receives Development Award (January 25, 2015)

• USAID Supports Innovative Livestock Feed Solution (December 8, 2014)

• USAID Announces $350,000 Grant for Camel and Cow Milk Processing and Collection in Somali Region (November 18, 2014)

• USAID Facilitates Regional Forum to Attract Investors to Ethiopia’s Livestock Sector (October 21, 2014)

• 2014 School Milk Day Campaign Kick-Off (October 20, 2014)

• USAID and Irish Aid Collaborate to Help Transform Milk Production in Ethiopia (July 9, 2014)

• USAID Awards Eight Grants to Ethiopian Enterprises (February 19, 2014)

• United States Senator Transfers Cross-Bred Dairy Heifers to Families in Chacha (January 22, 2014)

• USAID and Project Mercy Transfer Cross-Bred Dairy Heifers to Dairy Farmers (November 25, 2013)

• USAID Kicks Off School Milk Days Events (November 21, 2013)

• Ethiopia Launches New Multi-Sector National Nutrition Program (June 24, 2013)

• USAID Awards Grants to Project Mercy to Boost Health and Livelihoods (June 20, 2013)

• USAID Launches Camel Milk Project in Somali Region (April 25, 2013)

• USAID Launches New Livestock Market Development Project (November 17, 2012)

New Alliance and Private Sector

• Feed the Future Ethiopia Commercial Farm Services Project Opens Center in Bako (May 12, 2017)

• USAID Expands Farm Service Center Network (December 21, 2016)

• USAID Supports Financial Service Expansion in Somali Region (February 25, 2016)

• The Impact Angel Network Announces Investment in Ethiopian Food and Beverage Company (november 3, 2015)

• U.S. Supports Trade and Investment in East Africa (October 21, 2015)

• New Fortified Wheat Flour Launched by ASTCO Food Complex (March 17, 2015)

• USAID Commercial Farm Service Program Opens Center in Shashemane (June 12, 2014)

• New Chickpea Products Launched by New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition Partner Guts Agro Industry (April 10, 2014)

• USAID Commercial Farm Service Program Opens Bishoftu Farm Service Center (December 17, 2013)

• New Maize Public-Private Partnership Will Enhance Incomes of More Than 35,000 Farmers (May 17, 2013)

• New Pilot Project to Launch Farm Service Centers as Businesses in Oromia Region of Ethiopia (February 4, 2013)

• Government of Ethiopia Leads Start-Up of New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition with G-8 and Private Sector Partners (September 12, 2012)

Nutrition

• Smallholder Horticulture Project Extended (May 31, 2016)

• Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Endorses Nutrition Sermon Guide (January 12, 2016)

• U.S. Ambassador Visits Humanitarian and Health Assistance Sites in SNNPR (August 13, 2015)

• Academic Center of Excellence for Nutrition Launched in Hawassa University (April 2, 2015)

• Interfaith Roundtable for Action on Maternal/Child Health and Nutrition (March 19, 2015)

• Ethiopia Launches New Multi-Sector National Nutrition Program (June 24, 2013)

• US Launches Program to Improve the Nutrition of Mothers and Children (October 25, 2011)

Resilience

• USAID Project Highlights Successes in Building Resilience for Ethiopian Pastoralists (November 18, 2015)

• USAID Support Enhances Borena Pastoralists' Resilience and Livelihoods (November 3, 2015)

• USAID Launches Activities to Enhance Resilience to Climate Change (March 18, 2015)

• USAID Water Activity Launches New Water Systems in Somali Region of Ethiopia (November 18, 2014)

• Harnessing the Potential for Food Security and Agricultural Transformation in Ethiopia (August 22, 2014)

• New Chickpea Products Launched by New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition Partner Guts Agro Industry (April 10, 2014)

• Remarks by Nancy Lindborg: Drought Resilience and Sustainability: First General Assembly of the IGAD Regional Platform (February 23, 2013)

• USAID Launches New Program for Pastoralist Resilience Improvement and Market Expansion (December 18, 2012)

Powering Agriculture

• U.S. Government Announces Two Awards for Innovation in Energy and Agriculture to New Ethiopian Bamboo Enterprise (January 31, 2014)