Briefing Paper

East African Agriculture and Climate Change: A Comprehensive Analysis – Ethiopia

“The main crops in Ethiopia are teff, maize, and wheat. The combined effect of declining child mortality and increasing life expectancy has produced an overall population increase, putting additional pressure on the land to meet food requirements. More than 80 percent of Ethiopians live below the poverty line and are therefore vulnerable to small shocks and less able to recover from them. The maps shown depict the results of climate change for rainfed wheat. The findings suggest substantial reduction in wheat yields and some loss of area, even where rainfall is expected to increase, presumably owing to heat stress. Wheat is the most lucrative crop and the third most important food crop by amount of consumption.”