Final: In 2002, contributions from USDA and other donors made it possible for WFP to serve over 287,000 students, more than doubling the 110,000 children that were originally targeted. In addition, training was provided to 680 school directors and officials at the district and regional levels. During the first year of operation, school cooks received monetary payments from WFP. The community is asked to absorb this cost in the proceeding years.

The program focused on reducing the gender gap in regions with particularly low enrollment for girls. Take-home rations were implemented to encourage girls’ attendance. This component provided some 10,000 girls with take-home servings of vegetable oil as a reward for attending at least 80% of their classes during a semester.

Midterm: The WFP project in Ethiopia targets food deficit areas where enrollment of girls averages approximately 45%. Enrollment levels for the last three years have steadily increased, particularly for girls. In schools where WFP has been conducting school feeding for the last few years, the enrollment increases averaged between 20 and 28% for the first two years of data collection, then leveling off to approximately 4 to 8% for the last year of school feeding. Infrastructure facilities, such as latrines and water access, are typically available in most WFP schools. Greater emphasis on increased retention at the higher grades could benefit this country’s school feeding program.

Final: Since the Midterm findings, the number of people needing food assistance in Ethiopia has risen from 4.6 million to over 11 million people annually due to a severe drought. The failure of rains created severe food shortages for millions of people throughout the country. The situation is exacerbated by rural households that are dependent on agriculture and livestock who had not yet fully recovered from the drought of 1999-2000. Their capacity to cope with the current food shortages has been greatly reduced. The severity and duration of Ethiopia's current food security emergency have left people in an extreme state of vulnerability and coping strategies have been exhausted. In addition to the perilous food security situation, the ensuing deterioration in health, nutrition, and sanitation conditions created a full-scale humanitarian crisis.

Midterm: Ethiopia's economy is based on agriculture, which accounts for half of the gross domestic product (GDP), 90% of exports, and 80% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent droughts and poor cultivation practices. As many as 4.6 million people need food assistance annually. The war with Eritrea forced the government to spend scarce resources on the military and to scale back ambitious development plans. Foreign investment has declined significantly. Government taxes imposed in late 1999 to raise money for the war depressed an already-weak economy. The war forced the government to improve roads and other parts of the previously neglected infrastructure, but only certain regions of the nation benefited.

With regards to education, Ethiopia is one of the least developed countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1995, the adult illiteracy rate was 65.5% (54% for men, 74% for women). Due to high dropout and repetition rates, only about one-fifth of the children enrolled in primary school complete grade six. More progress in this area has been hindered by several factors. The protracted civil war, which ended in 1991, destroyed educational infrastructure and severely disrupted educational services, particularly in the central highlands and in northern Ethiopia. Also, the direct and indirect costs associated with sending children to school are too high for many families. In addition, large parts of the country are inhabited by population groups, including nomadic groups, who are difficult to reach with education. In light of these challenges, Ethiopia is working to achieve progress, but the country faces substantial economic challenges and has limited school facilities.

Final: Since the mid 1990s, there has been a continuing increase in total enrollment as detailed in the table below. By 2002, the gross enrollment rate for girls attending primary school (grades 1-8) had increased to 51.2%, while the rate for boys had reached 71.7%. As a result, the new national enrollment average is 61.6%. The need to narrow the gender gap is still widely recognized, and special initiatives have been undertaken to promote the enrollment of girls.

Access to education has increased considerably. In 1996-1997 school year, 3.7 million children attended primary school as compared to more than 8 million in 2001 and 2002. Almost 2,500 primary schools were constructed during the same period and the percentage of teachers who met national qualification standards for grades 1-4 reached 95%.

Midterm: The overall primary enrollment rate for girls in 1994 and 1995 was 22%, compared with 36% for boys. However, in some rural areas, fewer than 5% of school-age girls attend class. Education for girls is limited by economic factors (direct cost of education for the family), the need for female labor at home, concerns about safety at school, and many traditional beliefs and practices such as early marriage.

Household food security is a national problem in Ethiopia, with an estimated 90% of rural households affected either by chronic or transitory food shortages. In food insecure areas in Ethiopia, school children walk an average of three to four kilometers (or one hour) to reach school each morning, often on an empty stomach due to food shortages at home. Nutritional problems reduce children’s learning capacity, weaken their interest in school, and hinder their active participation in educational activities. Physical and mental damage, such as stunting and wasting, result and morbidity rates increase because of the child’s vulnerability to infectious diseases.

Final: As peaceful relations continued between Ethiopia and Eritrea in 2002, donor confidence in Ethiopian development initiatives increased. Over 6,000 tons of Corn Soya Blend (CSB) were donated by USDA. The shipment arrived late in 2001 and was distributed in 2002. The remaining stock of a 2001 pea wheat blend contribution from Denmark was also distributed during 2002 and some 250 metric tons of salt were purchased locally using funds from a German contribution.

Existing commodity transport arrangements were reviewed in 2002 in order to transfer the logistical responsibility for hub to school transport to the regional bureau of education in 2003.

Final: A second national development program supported by WFP began in mid 2002 with the recognition of the importance of school feeding in the government’s education strategy. The program aims to improve access to education, stabilize rates of attendance, reduce dropout rates and alleviate short-term hunger to help improve a child’s chances to learn. The development plan requires that "school feeding programs shall continue and be expanded in areas where there is a serious shortage of food," and that, "the feeding program will actually serve as an incentive for school attendance."

The Government has increased its commitment to education substantially. In 1990, the Government allocated 9.7% of the budget to education. Today, it has increased the allocation to almost 14%. Additionally, in recent years there has been a significant increase in government expenditures on education with the total rising from ETB 1.6 billion in 1996/97 to ETB 2.85 billion last year. The national budget focuses on the expansion of primary education which comprised 41% of the education budget for 2001/2002.

The project currently targets some schools in the Somali Region where the primary enrollment rate is 10.8% as compared with the national average of 61%.

Midterm: In December 1996, the Government of Ethiopia launched the Education Sector Development Program (ESDP). This program is currently being implemented with full support from its donors, including the World Bank and the African Development Bank. The government recently allocated an increasing share of the national budget to education and human resource development. It emphasizes quality improvements and aims to achieve a more equitable distribution of opportunities while reducing gender and regional imbalances.

The project is an expansion of WFP’s previous pilot activities in the education sector. It involves assistance to children who are attending primary school and kindergarten in rural areas with low attendance rates and a prevalence of food security issues in Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, and Afar regions.

Final: With the commencement of a new WFP country program in January 2003, the goals and objectives of the school feeding activities will be amended to reflect the changing educational environment in Ethiopia, as well as possible resource constraints.

Midterm: It is expected that food aid under this activity will:

Within the framework of the government’s ESDP, the activities are intended to meet the following immediate objectives at assisted primary schools and kindergartens:

Final: In 2002, the food basket was altered to provide 150 grams of blended food, 6 grams of vegetable oil and 3 grams of salt per student per day, which provides 623 kcalories, 27 grams of protein and 15 grams of fat. As the blended food (the corn soya blend and the pea wheat blend) was donated ‘in-kind’, opportunities for local purchase were limited. Salt, however, was procured locally.

Under the revised development plan, all rural primary schools can apply for WFP assistance. In consideration with available resources and in addition to the criteria in place at the Midterm, the program will also review the location of the school and its enrolment rates, especially for girls in comparison with the national average.

Schools must be located in areas facing chronic food security problems. These areas were recently identified in a vulnerability assessment survey jointly completed by the Government and WFP.

Midterm: WFP will provide two locally produced and blended commodities, Famix and high-energy biscuits. These products require minimal preparation and are heavily water or fuel dependent. Additionally, the students like the biscuits and the Famix, a locally produced, high-energy supplementary food/drink. Local communities and especially parents groups are involved in the management of the project. They provide water, storage, and manpower for managing the operation at the schools.

Rations are distributed in the following manner:

An open packet of four biscuits is provided to each child upon arrival that allows them to eat what they want right away. Using the cellophane packet, they can also safely save some of the biscuits to eat later in the day. Famix is served at mid-morning to allow adequate time for its preparation.

An open package of four biscuits is given to each child upon arrival. Famix is served during the mid-morning break. Porridge and an additional two biscuits are provided at lunchtime.

To the extent possible, all commodities are purchased locally in Ethiopia. In order to increase resources for the project, WFP retains the option to import wheat that can be exchanged for biscuits and Famix. If blended food or biscuits prove to be unavailable in sufficient quantities locally, they are imported. In all cases, the Ministry of Education is responsible for covering relevant import duties and taxes.

Rural primary schools qualify for WFP assistance if they meet the following criteria:

Final: Parents derived an indirect benefit from school feeding through the program’s income transfer effect. The meals provided at school in combination with the take-home rations for girls provided substantial savings to participating families. The program helped to bolster food security levels and increased the level of education in communities, particularly among girls.

In preparation for the new country program in 2003, the government has agreed to retarget the activity in areas with the greatest needs. An agreement was reached between the federal Ministry of Education and the regional Bureaus of Education that will phase out assistance in schools that no longer meet program participation criteria. Resources permitting, this may enable further expansion of the program into rural areas where the enrolment rate is less than 15%.

In 2002, efforts to enhance collaboration and expand existing partnerships became a priority. In December, a ‘Letter of Intent’ was signed between WFP, WHO, UNICEF and UNDP under the UNDAF framework. The agreement outlines plans to undertake comprehensive school health initiatives in 2003. WFP schools will be used as an entry point for these initiatives. The joint WFP/FAO school gardening initiative was expanded from 10 to 19 schools in 2002. A review, undertaken in December of 2002, revealed varied levels of success among participating schools and will be used to improve the program’s impact and develop a best practices guide for existing and new operations.

Midterm: Over the five-year period, the activity’s outputs will focus on beneficiary levels, teacher training and health and hygiene activities. The program will target an annual average of 125,000 primary students, of whom at least 45% will be girls, at 221 primary schools. These students will be fed a daily snack for 200 days a year. The program will also target 500 kindergarten students at four kindergartens. Half-day students will receive a daily ration of 133 grams of biscuits (four biscuits) and 50 grams of Famix drink, whereas full-day students will receive a daily ration of 200 grams of biscuits (six biscuits), 50 grams of Famix drink, and 100 grams of Famix porridge for a total of 20 million rations a year.

Training will be provided for 288 school teachers, head teachers, assistants, and zonal and regional staff involved in the implementation of this activity. Activities will cover recordkeeping and reporting, as well as proper food handling and storage.

Additional training will be provided for food preparation, hygiene, sanitation, and nutrition for 96 parents and kitchen helpers. At newly assisted schools, food preparation staff will be paid a daily ration of three kilograms of wheat during the first year. After that period, the community is expected to be responsible for food preparation, providing either cash or in-kind labor.

Final: When Behailu entered the first grade, his mother was relieved that one of her sons would receive the nutrients he desperately needed on a daily basis. Since her husband had abandoned them, she was unable to care for the family alone. Although Behailu’s mother worked hard to provide the bare necessities and said she dreamed of turning their small nest into a cozy home, her efforts could not sustain all five children and poverty eventually forced her to send some of them to nearby cities to work as domestic servants.

After hearing about the school feeding program from her neighbors, Behailu’s mother thought she had a chance to keep her last son at home. Although she didn’t think about his education, the food allowed him to stay in school and continue living with her.

Seven years later Behailu is still in school. He is an average student in the eighth grade and is interested in science. During the Kiremet rains when the academic year finishes, he spends his holiday working as a domestic servant for a veterinary doctor. The experience has inspired him to continue his studies and eventually become an animal scientist one day as well.

Behailu said that he was grateful for the food that allowed him to attend school. "The feeding program reduces my hunger and helps me to concentrate on my lessons." he explained. "If there was no school feeding, I might not have reached eighth grade and been hired as a herd keeper like my elder brothers instead."

Looking back, Behailu’s mother wishes that her two daughters and other two sons could have participated in the program. "If the school feeding program had started earlier," she said, "my other children would have gone to school and wouldn't have ended up in the plight that they are in today."

Midterm: A teacher at the Mukadera Primary School in the Fitche area said that the food made a noticeable difference in student behavior. "Even the children’s voices change and become stronger once they get the food in their bellies," she said.