For two decades, Ethiopia has been one of the world’s leading recipients of food aid and the largest recipient in Africa. There are frequent claims that rural Ethiopia suffers from a food aid dependency syndrome that constrains productive investments and hinders sustainable development. Yet, is it true that rural households in Ethiopia are excessively dependent on food aid?
This research brief addresses food aid dependency in one of Ethiopia’s most chronically food insecure areas: South Wollo (including the neighboring Oromiya Zone), which has been referred to as the buckle in the country’s so-called “famine belt.” Using household and community data from a three-year study, this brief argues that, while large numbers of Ethiopians receive food aid, only a small percentage are highly dependent on it, even during the frequent droughts. Instead of food aid, households often rely on purchases, gifts, and other sources to meet consumption needs. Uncertainties surrounding the amounts and timing of food aid delivery have taught local farmers not to depend on it. Yet, official perceptions of food aid dependency can be used to justify socially and economically costly programs like resettlement, while discouraging investments in local livelihoods. The research findings caution that these perceptions might be mistaken