Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 80: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the food crisis in Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23508/08]

Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Poverty is widespread and deeply rooted in Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries in the world. More than 30 million people live below the poverty line and over 8 million people are at risk of hunger each year.

Recent years have seen large increases in public spending on education, health and water in Ethiopia, and significant progress has been made in human development indicators. For example, maternal and under five mortality rates have fallen, while the number of primary school teachers and primary schools has increased significantly. There were 2.6 million more children in primary school in 2007 than in 2005, an 11% increase over just a two year period.

However, Ethiopia continues to have endemic food insecurity problems, which are mainly due to recurrent droughts, floods, rapidly growing population, poor technology and lack of infrastructure. In spite of the fact that the country enjoyed the fourth consecutive bumper harvest in 2007, this success was largely confined to the highland part of the country. By contrast, in the lowland areas of the country, which are inhabited mainly by pastoralists, the rainfall was inadequate and has caused an almost total failure in food production in some areas. In certain parts of the country this has been exacerbated by continuing insecurity and conflict.

Global escalating food prices have exacerbated the crisis and have prevented the poor, in both rural and urban areas, from accessing food. An example of the increasing cost of staple foods is that, in the course of 2007, the wholesale price in the market in Addis Ababa for white wheat and white maize increased by 80% and 97% respectively.

One of the key priorities of Ireland's assistance is to prevent, as far as possible, people falling into absolute hunger and destitution during food security crises through a targeted programme of social protection, entitled the Productive Safety Nets Programme. Ireland provided €9 million to this programme in 2007. In 2008, Ireland increased our assistance to this programme to €11 million in order to target those most at risk from the current food crisis. More than seven million people depend on this programme to avoid becoming absolutely vulnerable to destitution.

In addition, Ireland has made a further €3 million available for programmes to assist Ethiopia's rural poor in diversifying their crops and increasing their productivity. Further assistance will be made available as necessary. Irish Aid is also funding our NGO partners who are working with the poorest and most vulnerable in Ethiopia. So far in 2008, Irish Aid grants to NGOs have amounted to just under €10 million.