The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recognising Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, with the Agricola Medal appears unjustifiable as the country is currently witnessing one of the worst droughts and hundreds of its citizens are dying of hunger.

Development Diaries reports that Ahmed was awarded the medal for his ‘leadership and commitment to food security’ in Ethiopia, despite recent food data suggesting otherwise.

The Agricola Medal, according to FAO, honours ‘distinguished personalities for their commitment and support to the promotion of sustainable food production, world food security, and international cooperation’.

Ironically, while providing early warning on acute food insecurity across the world between November 2023 and April 2024, the FAO, in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP), cited Ethiopia as one of the hotspots of very high concern.

The report stated that food insecurity figures show people in the country need food and livelihood assistance to get by.

Also, in its 2023 data for Ethiopia, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) estimated that 20 million people experienced food insecurity.

This is steady growth from the 8.5 million people facing food insecurity in 2018.

While we understand the appreciation for the prime minister’s efforts so far, the plight of hungry Ethiopians must not be made a mockery of.

Development Diaries, therefore, calls on the prime minister to work towards justifying his acceptance of the Agricola Medal by taking immediate actions that will solve the country’s food insecurity challenges.

Source: Addis Standard

Photo source: Taye Atske Selassie