What's New

Over the past two decades, Ethiopia has become one of the fastest growing economies in the world ( 2015 African Economic Outlook ). Rapidly rising income levels, combined with increasing urbanization, have led to important changes in many Ethiopians’ diets. In a new project paper , IFPRI’s Ethiopia Strategy Support Program examines the causes and implications of this dietary transformation.

Continuing its series on climate-smart agriculture (CSA), the World Bank has recently released a country profile for Kenya . Of the country’s 42.7 million people, 74 percent live in rural areas; agriculture employs more than 80 percent of Kenya’s rural workforce and provides about 18 percent of the country’s total formal employment. Over the past 30 years, the agricultural sector has contributed 28 percent of the country’s GDP and 65 percent of the country’s total export earnings.

Agriculture plays a major role in the economy and labor market of Rwanda, as it does in many countries in Africa south of the Sahara. The agricultural sector made up one-third of the country’s GDP in 2009-2013 and employed more than 80 percent of the Rwandan population (World Bank, 2015). With a changing climate providing new production challenges and an increasing population driving greater demand for food, however, agriculture needs to adapt if it is going to continue to be a sustainable economic mainstay.

Concern continues regarding the food security situation in southern Africa, with a special alert from the Global Information and Early Warning System for Food and Agriculture (GIEWS) citing ongoing dry weather that could significantly impact 2016 harvests throughout the region. Southern Africa’s rainy season typically lasts from October through April, with around 75 percent of annual precipitation occurring between November and March.

The 10 th WTO Ministerial Conference , held in Nairobi, Kenya from December 15-19, concluded with six ministerial decisions of significance for developing countries, particularly LDCs. Four decisions revolve around agricultural trade and require clear commitments for both developed and developing countries; an additional two decisions focus solely on benefits for LDCs. Despite what some are calling a “historic” trade package, however, the future of the WTO’s Doha Development Agenda remains uncertain.