Ethiopia is one of the original members of FAO, joining the organization in 1948. Since 1981, when FAO Ethiopia was established with the arrival of the first Representative, FAO has been an active development partner to the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) in implementing a wide range of programmes and projects to improve the food security and nutrition of its population as well as respond to emergencies in food and agriculture.

Over the last ten years alone, FAO Ethiopia has implemented more than 100 projects valued at more than 55 million USD. Projects have been implemented in three main agro-ecological areas identified by the Government – adequate soil water moisture, moisture deficit and pastoral areas. However, the main emphasis has been on moisture-deficit and pastoral areas, the drier areas of Amhara, Oromiya, SNNPR and Tigray and the pastoral areas of Afar and Somali National Regional States. The projects cover a wide range of technical support interventions ranging from policy support through livestock and crop production, to natural resource management and value chain, marketing, agribusiness and land administration.

FAO has a worldwide networking with Member states, RECs and other partners. Besides, it has access to the decentralized capabilities at regional, sub-regional and country levels. Ethiopia is host to the FAO East African Sub-regional Office and representation to African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Therefore, the Country Program Framework has the advantage of tapping the knowledge base of its experts as well as that of its technical officers at FAO Headquarters.

FAO emergency programs support countries and partners to prepare for and respond to food and agriculture threats and emergencies. FAO’s emergency intervention in Ethiopia aims to improve the institutional and technical capacities of the Government and communities in disaster risk reduction – prevention, mitigation and preparedness.