Ethopia: Gov’t defends wheat ‘self-sufficiency’ claims, says aid agencies may continue imports amid persistent humanitarian concern

Addis Abeba– The Ethiopian government defended its data on wheat self-sufficiency but said it does not mean a complete halt to wheat imports. Humanitarian agencies operating in the country “may still choose to import wheat rather than purchasing from the local market,” the governemnt said in a statement that aims to push back growing “skepticism and criticism” over Ethiopia’s self-sufficiency claims, including productivity and data accuracy.

The government’s claim of self-sufficiency in wheat production comes in…