Ethiopia launched the fifth Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) with an out lay of additional $2.2 billion investment by the government and partner organizations.
Over the next five years, the fifth PSNP will reach up to nine million people each year as it provides food assistance and services that will lift vulnerable families out of poverty and ensure food security.
The PSNP was first established with U.S. support in 2005 and as the largest donor, USAID’s contribution in this program accounts for over $550 million
In Ethiopia, food insecurity has long been a widespread problem with over 80 percent of Ethiopia’s 110 million people live in rural areas and are heavily dependent on rain-fed agriculture; this makes them extremely vulnerable to changes in weather conditions.
The Ethiopian government and a consortium of donors (including the World Bank, U.S. Agency for International Development, Canadian International Development Agency, and several European donors) launched a new social protection program called the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP). With an annual budget of nearly US$ 2.2 billion, the PSNP is a huge program, reaching more than 45 million Ethiopians over the coming five years.
MG/abj/APA