The Role of Agriculture and Non-Farm Economy in Addressing Food Insecurity in Ethiopia: A Review

Komikouma Apelike Wobuibe Neglo, Tnsue Gebrekidan and Kaiyu Lyu
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Komikouma Apelike Wobuibe Neglo: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China
Tnsue Gebrekidan: Training and Consultancy Division, Ethiopian Civil Service University, P.O. Box 5648, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Kaiyu Lyu: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 7, 1-22

Abstract: In Ethiopia, famine and extreme poverty are a result of insufficient food relief, poor macroeconomic factors, climate shocks, undiversified livelihoods based on low productivity in rain-fed agriculture, coupled with institutional incapacity. To serve as a context, this paper provides a comprehensive review of the conceptual framework of human development and capability paradigm to food security. In addition, it highlights evidence and a comparative analysis of the Asian green revolution experience, and places emphasis on sustainable and intersectoral growth through agricultural transformation and promotion of rural non-farm economy agenda to reverse the trends of protracted food crises in Ethiopia. Rapid, science-led, and employment-intensive agricultural growth, accompanied by the promotion of the rural non-farm sector, is of great importance to the rural economy. These will bring about farm sector competitiveness and enhanced productivity, environmental outcomes, acceleration of human development, new opportunities provided to the small-scale food producers, and desirable changes to the rural landscape. The study further introduces a brief analysis of the prominent role of social protection instruments in strengthening food entitlements and basic capabilities, including individual agencies. It suggests that actualizing sustainable food security and hastening human development under Ethiopia’s exclusive settings require the recognition of the rural economic heterogeneity as well as holistic and pragmatic policies, which promote sustainable and inclusive growth.

Keywords: agricultural transformation; non-farm economy; food entitlement; poverty alleviation; sustainable human development; Ethiopia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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