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Indian firms sprawling land empire in Ethiopia fails to ensure food security back home

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Source: www.ibnlive.com Indian firms have a sprawling land empire abroad, especially in Ethiopia, as part of a move encouraged by different governments to safeguard the nation's food supply. But is the policy truly succeeding in helping feed over a billion Indians? Erratic weather in India repeatedly causes a scare about low food stocks and rising inflation. As agricultural productivity in India has significantly come down, many Indians are looking to Africa, particularly Ethiopia, buying large tracts of agricultural land to safeguard food supply. Indian firms have a sprawling land empire abroad, especially in Ethiopia, as part of a move encouraged by different governments to safeguard the nation's food supply. #Ethiopia   #food price   #food security   #India According to the global land monitoring agency Land Matrix, India is the biggest investor in land in Ethiopia, accounting for 70 per cent of the land acquired by foreigners since 2008. Firms from India hav

Summer break is underway at SOS Children's Villages

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Source: www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk Summer break at SOS Children’s Villages is jam-packed with fun activities for children of all ages. It is a time where children can discover new talents, socialise and be active. We plan a range of summer activities from field trips to art lessons. With July just around the corner, many SOS schools are starting to close for the summer. We take a look at how two Villages in  Ethiopia  – Makalle  and  Hawassa  – are keeping busy this summer. Cultural learning in Makalle, Ethiopia  Ethiopia   is filled with many historical landmarks and natural wonders. At the Makalle Village (spelled Mek'ele in the local language), children 14 years and over have the chance to visit historical sites on their summer break. One ancient city they visit is Axum and its royal tomb.  SOS children singing and dancing at the Ashanda festival Children of all ages visit numerous museums such as the Hawelti Museum, where the children learn about the ro

UK MINISTER FOR AFRICA “EXPRESSES CONCERN” OVER ETHIOPIAN ELECTIONS

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Source:  Addisstandard.com   As t he ruling EPRDF in Ethiopia claimed a  100% historic election victory , Britain’s   Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, calls on the government in Ethiopia “to increase diversity in parliament and ensure the voices of all citizens are heard”, a statement from the UK’s Foreign Office said yesterday. The statement quoted minister Duddridge as saying he welcomed “the fact that the recent Ethiopian parliamentary elections were conducted in a generally peaceful environment and that the Ethiopian people turned out in large numbers.” But he said he agreed with the “European Union concerns about the negative impact on the electoral environment of arrests of opposition members and journalists, closure of media outlets, and obstacles faced by the opposition while campaigning.” On the 100% electoral win for the ruling EPRDF, Mr. Duddridge urged the government in Ethiopia “to explore ways to increase the diversity of political parties in future par

Ethiopia declares election sweep for ruling party, critics cry foul

Ethiopia's ruling party has swept all but one seat in the election to the 547-seat parliament held in May, final results showed on Monday, again crushing an opposition that complained of voting abuses. Voting for the last seat was delayed after clashes between backers of an independent and those supporting the candidate of the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). But the EPRDF is expected to win that too. Merga Bekana, the electoral board chairman, declared the final tally, barring the last seat, at a news conference. The opposition secured just one seat in the last parliament, after winning an unprecedented 147 seats in the 2005 election, which was marred by violence. The opposition did not take up their seats after that vote, saying the poll was rigged. Opposition activists have accused the authorities of irregularities and squeezing them out of politics in this latest and previous votes, a charge government officials dismiss. "Th

Ethiopian ruling party wins all parliamentary seats

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An Ethiopian woman casts her ballot as other queue up in Addis Ababa, during general elections on May 24, 2015 (AFP Photo/Zacharias Abubeker) Addis Ababa (AFP) - Ethiopia's ruling party and its allies achieved a clean sweep in last month's general election, winning all 546 parliamentary seats, the final results showed Monday. African Union observers said the polls passed off without incident, but the opposition alleged the government had used authoritarian tactics to guarantee victory. The Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn scored a landslide victory, stripping the opposition of the one seat it had held in the outgoing chamber, said Merga Bekana, chairman of the electoral board. Preliminary results for the one constituency that still had to return final results -- the southwestern Bonga district where elections were delayed -- showed the EPRDF also winning that seat. "The performance of the rulin