The Ethiopian Priority Rural Infrastructure - Case Study Example

The Ethiopian Priority 1 THE ETHIOPIAN PRIORITY – RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE Introduction A land-locked state with a total area of 1,127,127 sq km and a population of about 80 millions, though independent from time immemorial, Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in Africa and in the world . The UN Human Development ranks this state 169 out of 177 in its 2007 Report. However, in the recent decades it has been making great efforts to raise the standard of living of its people despite handicaps in the form of paucity of natural resources and human endeavor. It has to show phenomenal progress in agriculture, power, industry, education, transport, communications, health and in developing human resources to transform itself into a modern state. In all these spheres government and people must work together to overcome natural and human obstacles. Our aim in this essay is to show how top priority must be accorded to the development of rural infrastructure so that collective efforts would begin to bear fruits in all other aspects of development. An unexpected availability of $100 million should, therefore, be allotted to rural infrastructure . We shall point out in this brief report why priority must be directed in spending the same towards rural infrastructure and how that would help other sectors as well. The Ethiopian Priority 2 General Picture Agriculture is the mainstay of people and more than eighty percent of the population are engaged mainly in subsistence farming in rural areas. Products like sugar, pulses, coffee, cotton and oil seeds form some ingredients in it. Oil, gold and salt come under mining operations while cement, food processing, beverages, leather, chemicals, metal processing, cement and textiles are under manufacturing sector. Economy heavily relies upon foreign aid. Per capita income in 2005 was just a shade above $140 annually. Nearly 76 per cent live on less than $2 per day while less than half of that have to live in less than $1 per day. Nearly 69 percent of women and 53 percent of men are illiterates. (CIA World Factbook, Index Mundi) It is obvious that drastic measures must be taken to modernize agriculture, increase food production and improve marketing conditions, provide basic education and above all connect the different and remote parts of the land by proper roads. This is not to suggest that urbanization should be neglected. Such urbanization as could be seen now has its own host of problems. The general picture that emerges is a dismal one but optimistically one must work towards creation of a better future. Rural infrastructure : Physical, Social and Institutional facets The Ethiopian Priority 3 It is unfortunate that all the important constituents in rural infrastructure, physical, social and institutional are in very bad shape. Of the entire land area only about 11% is cultivable to some extent. Even here the vagaries of rains often play havoc with the production. Irrigational facilities are minimal. But the isolated clusters of human habitations face acute difficulty when it comes to marketing even what little it could when it has a surplus production. The International Development Association points out that “improvement in the condition of four roads (1,334 kilometers) resulted in the reduction of vehicle operating costs by 16 percent, and travel time by 25-30 percent. Freight rates were reduced by 25 percent on the import-export route and 47 percent on the trunk roads -- Strengthening and upgrading the surface of key roads resulted in a reduction in transport costs, stimulating production and marketing of agricultural and other commodities, and enhancing the integration of domestic markets.” This improvement was possible when in a ten-period ending about 11,000 km. length of roads had been constructed. If the road-networking as the major physical infrastructure were to be undertaken naturally the results would be encouraging. Roads after all are the arteries of a nation. Of course, we need to improve communications and electricity which are yet to be had by a large number of people in adequate terms. What of the social and institutional developments at the rural level? Institutional developments would be an automatic feature when social developments take place. The The Ethiopian Priority 4 To combat against paucity of drinking water (barely 25 percent of the population have access to safe drinking water), want of medicines, and a host of minor necessities of life when connectivity is had by people even in remote areas, there would be visible improvement in the quality of life. Education in this process must be accorded top priority. A good education transforms people from medievalism and prepares the society to openly welcome changes by adopting whatever is good from other people. It dispels ignorance, superstition and fear against the unknown. Population growth would not then hamper the economic growth. Human resource development forms the basis of modernization. People would understand the need to wipe out the poor sanitary conditions contributing to diseases like malaria etc. Education would guide people from personal hygiene to expectations of higher social standards. When there is understanding and willingness on the part of the populace many obstacles would be surmounted. And to achieve this end not much can be expected from private funding which would be solely motivated by profit considerations. It goes without saying that public spending is vital to improvement in rural infrastructure. Not only road density is appalling at present in Ethiopia but the quality also is very low. Not even 12 percent of the roads were paved in the past while there has been gradual improvement recently. From that base to give education to children without gender discrimination, training womenfolk in a number of skills would be a significant step. In China and India efforts were made to create an awareness about the importance of women’s education and honing of their skills. These not only raised the income of the family but self-help The Ethiopian Priority 5 workgroups of women began to change things drastically, cooperating with medical teams. Oppressive factors low competitiveness would give way to aggressive production and marketing by rural people. If one is tied down to a place without connectivity only stagnation would result. Improvements in communications, entertainment or other areas can come but utmost urgency must be accorded to rural infrastructure. Conclusion We have given a brief presentation on the urgency of giving priority to development of rural infrastructure as it must take precedence over other sectors not merely for the simple reason of overwhelming population living there but any meaningful integrated growth is possible only when there is visible improvements at the grass-root level. The Ethiopian Priority 6 Table 1   Some facts and figures as on 2006 Population, total (millions)77.2 Population growth (annual %)2.6 Surface area (sq. km) (thousands)1104.3 Life expectancy at birth, total (years)52.5 Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births)77.5 Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24)38.5 GNI (current US$) (billions)13.3 GNI per capita, Atlas method (current US$)170.0 Prevalence of HIV, total (% of population ages 15-49)1.4 (Source: World Development Indicators) --World Bank Table 2 Ethiopia - Pastoral Community Development Project   Country: Ethiopia ;  Document Date: 2008/04/03 Doc Name: Ethiopia - Pastoral Community Development Project Document Type: Project Information Document Language: English Major Sector: Education ; Agriculture, fishing, and forestry ; Health and other social services ; Water, sanitation and flood protection Rel. Proj ID: ET-Pastoral Community Development Project-P108932 ;  Region: Africa Rep Title: Ethiopia - Pastoral Community Development Project Report Number: AB3675 Sector: General agriculture, fishing and forestry sector ; General water, sanitation and flood protection sector ; Other social services ; General education sector ; Animal production SubTopics: Access to Finance ; Housing & Human Habitats ;  ; Population Policies ; Agricultural Knowledge & Information Systems Topics: Agriculture ; Health, Nutrition and Population ; Finance and Financial Sector Development ; Communities and Human Settlements Unit Owning: AFT: Agricultural & Rural (AFTAR) Volume No: 1 of 1     The Ethiopian Priority 7 Table 3 The Ethiopian Priority 8 Report On: Ribb river fishery studies : final report  (Ethiopian Govt.release) Abstract: The Ethiopia Irrigation and Drainage Project (EIDP) will finance up to 20,000 ha of new irrigated agriculture land and complete detailed feasibility studies of up to 80,000 ha. The key environmental impacts related to the project include: (1) Changes to the low flow regime may have significant negative impacts on downstream users, whether they abstract water (irrigation schemes, drinking supplies) or use the river for transportation or hydropower; (2) Uncontrolled floods can cause tremendous damage and flood control is therefore often an added environmental benefit of reservoirs built to supply irrigation water; (3) A number of negative consequences of a falling water table are irreversible and difficult to compensate; (4) In the long-term, one of the most frequent problems of irrigation schemes is the rise in the local water-table (water logging) as a result of poor water distribution systems, poor main system management and archaic in-field irrigation practices; (5) The changing hydrological regime associated with irrigation schemes may alter the capacity of the environment to assimilate water soluble pollution; (6) Use of both natural and chemical fertilizers may result in an excess of nutrients which can cause problems in water bodies and to health; (7) The increased use of agro-chemicals, needed to retain productivity under intensification, can introduce toxic elements that occur in fertilizers and pesticides; (8) Areas with a flat topography or with water tables that have a low hydraulic gradient are at risk from salinization; (9) Irrigation schemes can have ecological impacts, particularly in wetland areas affecting natural habitats; and (10) Construction of dams can cause social, environmental, and economic problems by increasing the relocation of communities against their will and inducing watershed land degradation. The blockage of fish movements upstream can have a very significant and negative impact on fish biodiversity. Generally, the dam will have an impact on the migratory Labeobarbus species that spawn past the dam in upstream Ribb River The Ethiiopian Minority 9 and its tributaries and that will, in turn, have some impact on the fishery of Lake Tana. It could also have effect on the quantity of water that will be available for the migratory fishes as well as for inundating the wetlands. However, the impact will be insignificant and tolerable if the following major mitigation measures are taken: the time of the blocking of the dam should not coincide with the period of migration of the fishes (the main rainy season). The fish stock from Lake Tana is sharply declining even before the construction of the dam. It is, therefore, important to rehabilitate the stock using artificial propagation. Report on: International Conference to Discuss New Technologies, Innovations, and Knowledge to Improve Agriculture and Livelihoods Addis Ababa—Close to 200 policymakers, researchers, and representatives from the private sector, farmers' organizations, and other civil society groups are gathering for an international conference to discuss exciting technological, institutional, and organizational innovations that are transforming agriculture, reducing poverty and hunger, and improving people's lives. The conference, "Advancing Agriculture in Developing Countries through Knowledge and Innovation," is organized by the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and will be held here from April 7-9. In many countries, development is blocked by inappropriate agricultural technologies, serious problems with the organization and management of agricultural systems, and immense institutional constraints, including insufficient human and financial resources. "Many developing countries face major barriers to agricultural growth and rural development," said Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, who heads IFPRI's International Service for National Agricultural Research. "Despite these obstacles, there is good news to report. Many successful agricultural innovations are occurring for the benefit of poor smallholders, food-insecure households, and other vulnerable groups." Some success stories that will be showcased during the conference include: A farmer-led, market-driven extension system in India that empowers farmers and rural women and helps them diversify into high-value crops, and demand-driven extension services that promote technology adoption in Uganda and Nigeria. The Ethiopian Priority 10 Fruitful use of new technologies released by the private sector, including insect-resistant cotton adopted by smallholder farmers in India and China. Marking organizations that help farming communities bargain collectively for better prices in the marketplace. Innovative technology transfer approaches and strategies to enhance the impact of agricultural research on rural livelihoods in Ethiopia. "The Ethiopian government is very committed to improving the agriculture sector by modernizing, commercializing, and consequently making it highly productive and profitable through the sustainable use of natural resources and promotion of successful technological innovations," said Dr. Solomon Assefa, Director General, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research. "As an outcome of these innovations, we have achieved significant growth in our economy and improvement in the livelihoods of farmers and other rural Ethiopians." In addition to highlighting success stories, conference participants will also discuss how successful innovations can be scaled up or replicated, how innovation occurs among smallholders and what can be done to further promote it, and important lessons that can be learned from past experiences and new reforms. "Under the current condition of high global food prices, new initiatives to accelerate agricultural innovation and improve small-scale farmers' access to technology, inputs, and markets are vital for growth and poverty reduction in developing countries," said Joachim von Braun, Director General of IFPRI. "By identifying and promoting better research, policies, and extension systems, this conference will ultimately help to improve the livelihoods of smallholders throughout the developing world." ### (The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks sustainable solutions for ending hunger and poverty. IFPRI is one of 15 centers supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, an alliance of 64 governments, private foundations, and international and regional organizations. ) The Ethiopian Priority 11 References 1. Sustainable Solutions for ending hunger and poverty, 2020 Vision, The International Food Policy Research Institute. 2. DFID, Leading the British Government’s fight against world poverty, Ethiopia, Fact sheet, April 2008. 3. Ethiopia, from Index Mundi 4. 2020 Vision, “A 2020 Vision for Food, Agriculture, and the Environment” is an initiative of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). 5. Read More