Report highlights problems facing farmers

Farmers in Ethiopia are facing major obstacles on the road to development, a United Nations report has said. Crippling debts and a dramatic fall in crop prices are taking a heavy toll on the rural community, according to the study by the UN Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia (EUE). The report, entitled "Good rains do not compensate for chronic food insecurity", also called for a ban on making charcoal out of virgin forests to halt deforestation and massive soil erosion. The report is a snapshot of rural community life in Welo and North Shewa in Amhara Regional State, in the heart of the Ethiopian highlands. It details several areas where major improvements can be made to enhance the lives of the millions of farmers. "Particularly hard hit are peasants in the highlands who bought farming inputs such as improved seeds and fertilisers on credit and cannot pay them back," the report said. It said that since mid-2000 there had been a dramatic drop in prices because of food supplies from surplus areas, imports and food aid. Farmers were now turning away from fertiliser use because of the expense, and using instead poor traditional methods like dead weeds. "Small yields and further soil degradation are the result," said the report, compiled by Francois Piguet and Hugo Raemi. "In the last four years, the department of agriculture wanted to introduce improved seeds of teff and barley to farmers in Welo." "The promise of higher yields and better profits was tempting, but some of the results were disastrous. Many farmers actually became poorer," the report said. Farmers are now turning to other means of subsistence, resulting in massive deforestation and animal dung being used for fuel instead of fertiliser. The EUE report said good rainfall and no major outbreaks of animal diseases had led to a big increase in the livestock population. But, it noted, this was also taking a heavy toll on the environment through overgrazing and erosion. "The assessment therefore leads to the conclusion that the numerous structural deficiencies must be tackled, and development is needed," the report said. It stressed that research should focus on the use of local seeds. "Fertiliser is a key to improving soil fertility," it added. "Increased use of organic fertilisers should be encouraged." The report concluded by calling for more development and capacity building, and said organisations should shift their focus from relief work to development.