Eradicating Poverty in Eritrea and Ethiopia Thuy Dang Amy Koler Sung Lee Jason Liou Alba Struga

UN Millennium Goals Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger Achieve universal primary education Achieve universal primary education Promote gender equality and empower women Promote gender equality and empower women Reduce child mortality Reduce child mortality Improve material health Improve material health Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Ensure Environmental Sustainability Ensure Environmental Sustainability Develop a global partnership for development Develop a global partnership for development

Why do UNMGs matter? Advance the means to a productive life Advance the means to a productive life –For the billion plus people in extreme poverty, the MDGs are a life and death issue. Critical for Global Security Critical for Global Security –In poor societies there are frequently conflicts over scarce vital resources. –Civil unrest could attract terrorists, allowing them to create a base of operation for future attacks.

Focus of Our Presentation Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger in Eritrea and Ethiopia through: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger in Eritrea and Ethiopia through: –Fighting HIV/AIDS –Increasing food security

Locations of Ethiopia and Eritrea

Comparing Ethiopia and Eritrea Ethiopia One of the oldest countries in the world One of the oldest countries in the world Population of 73 million Population of 73 million 50% below poverty line 50% below poverty line GDP per capita: $800 GDP per capita: $800 Agriculture is 47% of GDP Agriculture is 47% of GDPEritrea Independent since May 1993 Independent since May 1993 Population of 5 million Population of 5 million 50% below poverty line 50% below poverty line GDP per capita: $900 GDP per capita: $900 Agriculture is 12.4% of GDP Agriculture is 12.4% of GDP

HIV/AIDS Work in Ethiopia The UNDP’s strong collaboration with the UNAIDS Theme Group and the Ethiopian government The UNDP’s strong collaboration with the UNAIDS Theme Group and the Ethiopian government Assistance in strengthening relevant government institutions Assistance in strengthening relevant government institutions Efforts to strengthen capacity-building through gender empowerment Efforts to strengthen capacity-building through gender empowerment

Recommendations for HIV/AIDS Continue to strengthen Ethiopian government institutions working on HIV/AIDS Continue to strengthen Ethiopian government institutions working on HIV/AIDS Build on leadership development and training towards more sensitive/ethical media reporting Build on leadership development and training towards more sensitive/ethical media reporting Step up efforts to provide HIV testing materials for at-risk populations and areas Step up efforts to provide HIV testing materials for at-risk populations and areas

Food Security Food Security is defined as access by all people at all times to adequate nutritious food enabling them to lead healthy and productive lives. Food Security is defined as access by all people at all times to adequate nutritious food enabling them to lead healthy and productive lives. National Food Security: Food available in the national market National Food Security: Food available in the national market Household Food Security: All household members have affordable access to food Household Food Security: All household members have affordable access to food

Food Security and Poverty Food security and poverty are intricately linked; if one is improved, the other will be improved as well. Food security and poverty are intricately linked; if one is improved, the other will be improved as well. Efforts are being made to improve the productivity of rural/household farms which will improve both food security and poverty. Efforts are being made to improve the productivity of rural/household farms which will improve both food security and poverty.

Specific Food Security Goals for Eritrea 1) Formulate a Food Security Strategy 2) Improve coordination of food security 3) Collect and analyze food security related information 4) Enable households to increase their human and physical assets

Main Challenges to Food Security in Eritrea Persistent Droughts Persistent Droughts –Eritrea is located in one of the driest areas of Africa –During droughts only 25% of the food necessary for the country is produced –Droughts occur on average every 10 years Border War with Ethiopia Border War with Ethiopia

Goals of Agriculture Development Program in Ethiopia Creation of a national agricultural information system Creation of a national agricultural information system Improved use and management of small-scale irrigation Improved use and management of small-scale irrigation Functioning of microfinance institutions to serve rural communities Functioning of microfinance institutions to serve rural communities

Achievements 10,000 farmers and 4,000 staff were trained on use of improved technologies 10,000 farmers and 4,000 staff were trained on use of improved technologies A study on the establishment of a national computerized agricultural system A study on the establishment of a national computerized agricultural system

Challenges Persistent droughts Persistent droughts Population and resources imbalance Population and resources imbalance Prevailing antiquated technologies Prevailing antiquated technologies

Recommendations Continue with the efforts of improving the antiquated technology in use in the Agricultural sector Continue with the efforts of improving the antiquated technology in use in the Agricultural sector Initiate a study for strategic diversification and land use for the drought prone areas, and consider the possibility of moving the population to more fertile areas within each region Initiate a study for strategic diversification and land use for the drought prone areas, and consider the possibility of moving the population to more fertile areas within each region Increase fundraising efforts toward helping these two countries to eradicate poverty by half by 2015 Increase fundraising efforts toward helping these two countries to eradicate poverty by half by 2015

Recommendations Strengthen networking, exchange of ideas and joint programming between different stakeholders Strengthen networking, exchange of ideas and joint programming between different stakeholders Help both countries to resolve their border conflict so that they can concentrate on eradicating poverty in their respective countries Help both countries to resolve their border conflict so that they can concentrate on eradicating poverty in their respective countries

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