Ethiopia

Presence country
Ethiopia
 Ethiopia flag Ethiopia flag
Latest analysis
Key Message Update December 2024 Crisis or worse outcomes persist amid slow recovery from past shocks Download the report
  • Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse outcomes persist in areas of Ethiopia that are either currently affected by or recovering from conflict and drought. The meher harvest is only partially mitigating the size of household food consumption gaps or the use of negative coping strategies, as other key sources of food and income, such as livestock and agricultural labor, remain below normal. Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes are likely currently ongoing in parts of Afar (Zones 2 and 4) and expected to spread to remote areas of Tigray by early 2025. Poor and displaced households in these areas face the largest constraints in terms of own-produced food stocks and livestock holdings, and the degree to which gifts and bartering through social networks, income from migratory labor, and wild foods can meet their food needs is limited.
  • In the pastoral south and southeast, where livestock herd sizes have not recovered from the historic 2020-2023 drought, inadequate rainfall and atypical heat in late 2024 and early 2025 are expected to adversely affect livestock health, saleability, and milk production. Cumulative rainfall during the October to December deyr/hageya season ranges from average to below average, with deficits of 10-65 percent concentrated in the southern border areas of Somali and Oromia regions. Deficits in pasture and water availability are expected to worsen and spread during the January to mid-March jilaal dry season. Additionally, forecasts suggest the March to May gu/genna rains will most likely be below average. Area-level Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes are currently anticipated through May, with pockets of the population likely to face Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes. However, if the gu/genna rains fail in the areas that were also affected by severe deficits during the deyr/hageya season, then livestock productivity would likely rapidly deteriorate during the subsequent mid-2025 dry season. In this scenario, more severe acute food insecurity outcomes would be anticipated in mid-2025. 
  • Conflict continues to contribute to acute food insecurity in Amhara and, to a lesser degree, Oromia regions by displacing civilians and disrupting humanitarian operations and essential services. Conflict in Amhara between the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and the Fano militia has persisted through late 2024, concentrated in West Gojjam, North Shewa, East Gojjam, and North Wello zones. ACLED’s reporting on violent events suggest at least a 35 percent increase in frequency from September to October, followed by a 10 percent increase from October to November. In December, armed clashes have resulted in multiple road closures that impede civilian movement and daily activities, including both the flow of goods from source markets to larger markets, which results in temporary supply disruptions, and the ability to purchase goods for consumption. For example, on December 9, Fano militias announced road closures in East and West Gojjam, North Wello, and South Wello zones (ACLED), and in mid-December, the Addis Ababa-Dessie road in Shewa Zone was reportedly closed for two days. 
  • The meher harvest is now near complete, with near-average production countrywide. However, moderate production losses occurred in some areas of Amhara and Tigray regions due to late unseasonal rainfall in October and crop pests and diseases that damaged yields. According to OCHA, moisture-related losses in Tigray occurred in the Central, Eastern, and Northwestern zones. Additionally, in Central Ethiopia Region, unseasonal heavy rains during the first week of November caused flooding in Shashego woreda of Hadiya Zone, causing damage to some crops before they could be harvested. Conversely, in Oromia, the regional Agriculture Cluster reported significant crop losses in areas of Borena, East Borena, and West Guji zones due to long dry spells.
  • According to the Food Cluster, humanitarians reached around 1.2 million people in November. This is the lowest level of assistance delivered in 2024 (a decline of nearly 45 percent month-on-month, compared to around 2.1 million people reached in October). Food assistance distributions typically decline late in the year as households access food from own production and income from crop sales and agricultural labor; however, areas recovering from the impacts of conflict and drought continue to require humanitarian assistance. Accordingly, food aid deliveries are currently concentrated in Tigray, Oromia, Somali, and Amhara regions. According to ECHO, drought and conflict affected 77,000 people in Bugna and Lasta districts in North Wollo (Amhara Region). Food aid deliveries resumed in these districts following a short suspension due to security concerns. Prior to the resumption of assistance, anecdotal reports indicated severe food shortages among the population. Limited resources, along with access and security challenges in contested areas of Tigray, Somali, Amhara, and Oromia regions, impeded humanitarians reaching the planned number of beneficiaries. 
 Read the full analysis
More analysis View all Ethiopia analysis Food security
Key Message Update Ethiopia November 2024
Food Security Outlook Ethiopia October 2024 - May 2025
Key Message Update Ethiopia September 2024
Agroclimatology
Global Weather Hazards Global February 17, 2023 - February 23, 2023
Global Weather Hazards Global February 10, 2023 - February 16, 2023
Global Weather Hazards Global February 10, 2023 - February 16, 2023
Markets & trade
Price Bulletin Ethiopia October 2024
Price Bulletin Ethiopia September 2024
Price Bulletin Ethiopia August 2024
Alerts / Special Reports
Alert Ethiopia May 30, 2023
Alert Ethiopia May 27, 2022
Alert East Africa December 29, 2021
Food security
Key Message Update Ethiopia November 2024
Food Security Outlook Ethiopia October 2024 - May 2025
Key Message Update Ethiopia September 2024
Agroclimatology
Global Weather Hazards Global February 17, 2023 - February 23, 2023
Global Weather Hazards Global February 10, 2023 - February 16, 2023
Global Weather Hazards Global February 10, 2023 - February 16, 2023
Markets & trade
Price Bulletin Ethiopia October 2024
Price Bulletin Ethiopia September 2024
Price Bulletin Ethiopia August 2024
Alerts / Special Reports
Alert Ethiopia May 30, 2023
Alert Ethiopia May 27, 2022
Alert East Africa December 29, 2021
Food Security Classification data View all Ethiopia Food Security Classification data
Ethiopia Acute Food Insecurity Classification (December 2024 - May 2025)

Forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (December 2024 - January 2025) and medium term (February 2025 - May 2025) periods.

 Ethiopia Acute Food Insecurity Classification Shapefile December 2024 (.zip) (ZIP) Ethiopia Acute Food Insecurity Classification December 2024 (.geojson) (GeoJSON) Near Term Projection: December 2024 - January 2025 (.png) (PNG) Medium Term Projection: February 2025 - May 2025 (.png) (PNG) Near Term Projection: December 2024 - January 2025 (.kml) (KML) Medium Term Projection: February 2025 - May 2025 (.kml) (KML) Ethiopia Acute Food Insecurity Classification (October 2013 - March 2014)

Current (October 2013) food security outcomes and forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (October 2013 - December 2013) and medium term (January 2014 - March 2014) periods.

 Ethiopia Acute Food Insecurity Classification Shapefile October 2013 (.zip) (ZIP) Ethiopia Acute Food Insecurity Classification October 2013 (.geojson) (GeoJSON) Current Situation: October 2013 (.png) (PNG) Near Term Projection: October 2013 - December 2013 (.png) (PNG) Medium Term Projection: January 2014 - March 2014 (.png) (PNG) Current Situation: October 2013 (.kml) (KML) Near Term Projection: October 2013 - December 2013 (.kml) (KML) Medium Term Projection: January 2014 - March 2014 (.kml) (KML) Ethiopia Acute Food Insecurity Classification (June 2016 - December 2016)

Current (June 2016) food security outcomes and forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (June 2016 - September 2016) and medium term (October 2016 - December 2016) periods.

 Ethiopia Acute Food Insecurity Classification Shapefile June 2016 (.zip) (ZIP) Ethiopia Acute Food Insecurity Classification June 2016 (.geojson) (GeoJSON) Current Situation: June 2016 (.png) (PNG) Near Term Projection: June 2016 - September 2016 (.png) (PNG) Medium Term Projection: October 2016 - December 2016 (.png) (PNG) Current Situation: June 2016 (.kml) (KML) Near Term Projection: June 2016 - September 2016 (.kml) (KML) Medium Term Projection: October 2016 - December 2016 (.kml) (KML)
Seasonal Calendar

The Seasonal Calendar shows the annual and cyclical patterns of key food and income sources in a country throughout the typical year.
Seasonal Calendar image showing harvest and rainy periods for Ethiopia
Production & Trade Flow Maps
FEWS NET captures the market networks for a product in a given country or region, including their catchments and trade flow patterns.
Wheat, Season 2 Maize, Season 1 Sorghum, Season 1 Teff, Season 1 Wheat, Season 1
Satellite-derived products map

USGS-provided data and imagery supports FEWS NET's monitoring efforts of weather and climate throughout the world.

View all satellite-derived products
Livelihood Zone resources Ethiopia Rural Baseline SNNPR, November 2009 Ethiopia Typical Hunger Seasons, Month by Month, November 2009 Ethiopia Livelihoods Zones Map
Ethiopia 2018 Livelihood Zones Map (.PNG)
Get the latest food security updates in your inbox Sign up for emails

The information provided on this Website is not official U.S. Government information and does not represent the views or positions of the U.S. Agency for International Development or the U.S. Government.