Food Security Problems

Given that food security is a global concern for developing countries, Ethiopia and Sudan Blue Nile basin countries are not an exception to this phenomenon. These countries are continuously struggling to meet the food demand of it growing populations (World Bank 2013). Some reasons that may have led to the food security challenges are; unprecedented population growth and demanding climate changes and partly due to the eternal ethnic wars and corruption, which has the political leaders of both countries focused on their set agenda, but not the food insecurity of their own people (UNDP 2013). Political stability and political will are highly important in achieving food security goals. The increased food prices and conversion of food crop into

Famine has been caused principally by drought and civil struggle (see picture), with the most serious famines being in 1972-73 and 1984-85.

Figure 1. Drought agricultural Land in Ethiopia: Source: Galyna Andrushko / Shutterstock.com

Since the mid-1970s to present, the country’s economy and the agricultural sector in particular have been stagnating. Macro-economic policies, aimed at price stability, and direct governmental intervention in production and distribution marginalized growth, private initiatives and investment (MoFED, 2012).

Agricultural policy developed by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has passed through three phases: (i) the centralized command economy of 1974-1988; (ii) liberalization reforms during 1988-1991; and (iii) the post-1991 period, with additional liberalization measures. Some measure of recovery is visible today, as good rainfall combines with peace and stability (MoFED,

It is endowed with abundant land resources for agricultural production. These areas include semi-arid and savannah lands with existing irrigation schemes, and wetlands in the south of the country. A number of long-term factors, however, contribute to the Sudan’s continued poverty and food insecurity. First, sustained low economic growth has resulted in declining infrastructural and agricultural support. Second, grain production fluctuations due to rainfall variability have been exacerbated by national agricultural policies. These policies prioritized semi-mechanization and use of wage-dependent labour, but led to traditional production declining in marginal areas.Third, fiscal policies failed to control price fluctuations and secure food availability for marginal groups. Finally, civil conflict and droughts resulted in large-scale population displacement (World Bank,