Early last week, the fifth phase of the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) was launched in the presence of representatives of the federal government and officers from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The PSNP is a food security, public works and social safety net programme for millions in need across Ethiopia. Backed by 2.2 billion dollars in funding, the fifth phase is expected to last five years and reach up to nine million people each year. As the largest donor, USAID’s contribution accounts for over 550 million dollars. Established two years after the largest famine the country has ever seen in 2005, the previous four phases have witnessed investments of 5.3 billion dollars. The highest amount, 2.6 billion dollars, was spent last year. The United States has supported the programme with the highest spending of over four billion dollars in the last five years.