The problem became so serious that Mengistu lashed out against the peasantry on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of military rule in September 1978. To show other various factors (political, policy, cultural, religious, affected crop production and productivity in Ethiopia. Domestically, coffee contributed about 20% of the government's revenue. Mia MacDonald and Justine Simon (2010) Climate, Food Security, & Growth: Ethiopia's Complex Relationship with Livestock. Consequently, individual holdings were frequently far smaller than the permitted maximum allotment of ten hectares. Because of drought, which has repeatedly affected the country since the early 1970s, a poor economic base (low productivity, weak infrastructure, and low level of technology), and overpopulation, the agricultural sector has performed poorly. Among the overall agricultural output produced by an Ethiopian family farm, only 21 percent are sold, highlighting the subsistence-oriented nature of the country's smallholders. Between 198485 and 198687, at the height of the drought, Ethiopia received more than 1.7 million tons of grain, about 14 percent of the total food aid for Africa. Please see below for the market overview and trade data. Soil fertility status and wheat nutrient content in Vertisol cropping [10] This has raised fears of food being exported to more prosperous countries while the local population faces its own shortage. . The combined pressure of crop and livestock production and the ever-increasing human f AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS IN ETHIOPIA 285 population on the land in this farming system is high. Soil acidity is one of the most important environmental threats to the Ethiopian highlands where the livelihood of the majority of people is reliant on agriculture. What are the main characteristic of Ethiopian agriculture - ECHEMI Adigrat University, College of Agriculture, Department of Animal Production and Technology, Adgrat, Tigray, Ethiopia Address: Adigrat University, P.O.Box 50 Abstract: Ethiopia is endowed with diverse cattle genetic resources adapted to various local environmental conditions and acquired unique features. An estimated 85 percent of the . Taro, yams, and sweet potatoes are commonly grown in the same region as the ensete. In addition, the GOE is looking to the agro-processing sector (also a best prospect sector detailed below) as one engine to spur future economic growth. In this regard, Ethiopia is looking to expand development efforts to fight land degradation and to reduce pollution; reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions; increase forest protection and development; increase production of electricity from renewable sources for domestic use and for export; and focus on modern and energy saving technologies. First, the recurring droughts had devastated the country's main areas where pulses and oilseeds were grown.