New farming techniques build food resilience in Ethiopia

Across large parts of Ethiopia, many families rely on subsistence farming for their food needs, and occasionally are able to sell some excess crops for cash that can pay for the other necessities of life. But violent local conflicts as well as climate change often cause farmers to lose crops that supply them with food, which in turn has a drastic impact on their health – and even survival. Aid organizations, including the World Food Program, have been working for years to strengthen food resilience among many Ethiopian communities. They encourage new planting techniques, introduce updated technologies, or teach people about different seed types, pesticide use and storage practices. These interventions help those living in rural villages to increase their crop yields, and thus ensure that external factors in the future cannot so easily wipe out their household wealth, which is largely linked to what they plant and reap. At some Ethiopian schools -- built with U.S. money -- the World Food Program and its partners run feeding programs -- reliant on U.S.-funded supplies -- that also seek to strengthen resilience and improve educational outcomes by guaranteeing at least one daily nutritious meal for young children who might otherwise not eat.

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