Development in Ethiopia using poverty reduction strategies

Abstract

This thesis focuses on poverty alleviation and development in Ethiopia related to Poverty Reduction Strategy Plans, the Millennium Development Goals, and to a lesser extent, the Sustainable Development Goals. Issues debated are the meaning of development and effective poverty alleviation as well as industrialization and advances in agricultural technology, which affected job opportunities for farmers and ordinary Ethiopian workers. The implementation of various iterations of poverty reduction strategy plans has had a positive effect on such issues, with each of the four currently standing plans contributing to the development of the country. These plans are the World Bank Poverty Reduction Strategy Plan, the Plan for Accelerated and Sustained Development to End Poverty, and the Growth and Transformation Plans I & II. The plans mainly focus on increasing Ethiopia’s industrial sector, and on improving agricultural technology and farming methods. Through such programs, poverty rates and the number of people living below the poverty line in Ethiopia have dropped exponentially over the 15 years period from 2000-2015, despite Ethiopia’s population still rapidly growing. Job opportunities have increased in the service and industrial sectors, especially for women and youth. Policies related to each version of the plan, and how the ideals of the Millennium Development Goals have affected development in Ethiopia are examined. Ethiopia’s pro-poor development agenda has been implemented alongside a rapidly growing economy, which is continuing to grow, leading to hope that the sustainable development of it will contribute to the progressive reduction of poverty in the future.