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Emergency Update |
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|
♦ |
Belg Performance
Poor |
|
♦ |
Additional Pledges Urgently Needed
Perspectives of Food Availability and Aid |
|
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Emergency
Update, CRDA News May/June 2004 Issue |
|
|
♦ |
G8 Pledges to
End Famine in the Horn of Africa |
|
|
♦ |
Pledges required to fill
the shortfall in relief food aid |
|
|
♦ |
Resettlement Update |
|
Emergency
Update, CRDA News April 2004 Issue |
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♦ |
Belg Harvest not Likely |
|
|
♦ |
Worrying Reports from Resettlement
Sites |
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♦ |
April Critical Shortfall |
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|
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|
|
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Emergency
Update, CRDA News February Issue |
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♦ |
Pledges for Food Aid Vs.
Need |
|
|
♦ |
Farmers in Distress |
|
|
♦ |
Food Aid Use |
|
|
♦ |
Critical
event over the next 10 months, USAID Famine Early Warning
System Network |
|
Emergency
Update, CRDA News January Issue |
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♦ |
Ethiopia Food Security Update |
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|
♦ |
Decline in cereal prices |
|
|
♦ |
Situation update of critical
regions |
|
NGOs
Commended for their Outstanding Intervention |
|
7.2
million people in need of Food Assistance - Joint 2004
Appeal |
|
CRDA
Hands Over 8750 Quintals of Nutritious Food to 11 NGOs |
|
Belg
Assessment Disclosed |
|
"Breaking
the Cycle of Recurrent Famine in Ethiopia" Conference
Highlights |
|
Bob
Geldo's Visit |
|
Concerns
over Resettlement |
|
NGOs
Call for Change in Food Aid Supplies |
|
Emergency
Related Meetings |
|
Highlights
of Emergency Situation |
|
CRDA
Distributes 4000 Quintals of Highly Nutritious food among
six members |
|
Shortfall
of 64,000 MTs of Relief Supplies |
|
DPPC
and UN Call for Increase in Food and Non-food Response |
|
CRDA
Receives Donation for Drought |
|
NGOs
Voice Concern |
|
Highlights
of the Current Drought situation (February 24, 2002) |
|
National
Committee formed to Facilitate Local Mobilization of Resources |
|
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION |
|
For
those interested to provide financial assistance to
the emergency situation in Ethiopia, pleas be informed
that from the total amount of funds you kindly provide
the overhead cost will include: |
|
|
♦ |
Loading and unloading |
|
|
♦ |
Transportation |
|
|
♦ |
Perdiem for the staff who
work on the emergency activities |
|
|
♦ |
Wages for guards |
|
|
♦ |
Store Rent (on some occasions) |
|
|
♦ |
Monitoring
and supervision costs during distribution of the emergency
assistance. |
|
All these costs should not be more that
5% of the total project cost. |
|
The Ethiopian
Emergency Situation Briefing2002-2003 |
|
Overview |
|
Current
Situation the different Regions |
|
|
♦ |
Tigray
Region |
|
|
♦ |
Southern
Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region |
|
|
♦ |
Afar
Region |
|
|
♦ |
Somali
Region |
|
|
♦ |
Harari,
Dire Dawa and Oromiya |
|
|
♦ |
Amhara
|
|
Requirements
|
|
|
♦ |
Total
Requirement for 2003 |
|
|
♦ |
Requirements
by month for the first quarter of 2003 |
|
Highlights
of the Current Situation |
|
The
Forecast |
|
CRDA's
Involvement in the Current Drought |
|
Overview |
|
The
current emergency situation in Ethiopia is mainly the
result of factors related to delay and spor adic nature
of rainfall. A good belg (short rainy season) harvest
in 2001 and good meher (main season) harvest in 2000
and 2001 allowed for only a short recovery period following
the 1999/2000 drough t when over 10 million people received
relief assistance. The 2002 - belg rain, which heavily
determines food availability during the July - December
period was poor in numerous areas, significantly reversing
the high level of optimism that prevailed in the country
earlier in the year. The adverse weather conditions
experienced as of April 2002 affected both long and
short maturing crops as well as livestock conditions,
particularly in Afar and Somali Regions. Compounded
by other factors, these dramatically reduced agricultural
production and increased livestock mortality in both
pastoral and agricultural areas. |
|
Further
aggravating this situation is the lack of off-farm income
opportunities and low level of economic development
generally, which curtails people's ability to cope with
drought. In addition, some pastoral areas experiencing
drought have therefore witnessed an increase in competition
over scarce resources such as pasture and water, leading
to conflict. This has curtailed pastoral mobility -
an essential element of pastoral survival strategies
against drought. It is also important to note that other
factors outside of Government control are magnifying
the extent of the problem. For example, a drop in the
international price of Ethiopia's main cash crop - coffee
- has reduced the Government's ability to provide additional
cash resources to the crisis. |
|
The consequences
of poor belg rains, especially for the long cycle,
high-yielding crops of maize and sorghum (constituting
40% of national production) were magnified when
the main rains in many lowland areas were delayed
between one and one-and-a half months and led
to the widespread loss of these crops. |
|
|
|
This,
in turn, had immediate nutritional consequences as it
limited the availability of green maize, normally consumed
in the lean season before the main harvest. While farmers
attempted to replant with short-cycle crops (e.g., teff,
barley and pulses), these are much lower yielding and
could only partially offset the reduced crop production,
in some cases the replanted crops did not give any yield. |
|
Depleted
pasture and water resources in both pastoral and agricultural
areas also significantly increased livestock mortality,
declined the condition of remaining herds and caused
a reduction in dairy products normally available during
the 'hungry season' for direct consumption especially
in Afar Region, and Shinille and Fik zones of Somali
Region. |
|
The
Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC)
and other bilateral and UN agencies confirmed in their
various reports that for the year 2003 the number of
people needing assistance is close to 11.3 million with
an additional 3 million under close monitoring; resulting
in a total of 14.3 million people affected by the drought. |
|
|
|
Current Situation in the
different Regions |
|
Tigray Region |
|
Belg
a minor rainy season that usually
begins in January - February and ends in April - May |
|
Meher
or Kiremt the main rainy season starts
in June - July and ends in September - October. |
|
Emergency
Food Security Reserve (EFSR) holds stocks
of cereals that can be made available on loan basis against
a written guarantee from concerned donors for repayment.
This expedites distributions for in-kind contributions,
international purchases and local purchases. the capacity
of the EFSR is 400,000 mt. |
|
NationalDisaster
Prevention and Preparedness Fund (NDPPF): Established
in 2000, the objective of NDPPF is to "maintain a
ready available cash reserve to rapidly respond to emergency
situations to avert the impacts of disaster through the
provision of short-term loans and grants to relief agencies
until such a time that other sources can be mobilized." |
|
Chronic food insecurity: |
|
|
♦ |
Belg rains of 2002 were poor
and failed to support crop production in South Tigray's
Belg producing areas, |
|
|
♦ |
Production estimated to be
25% lower than that of last year, |
|
|
♦ |
High level migration from
Central Tigray to West Tigray, |
|
|
♦ |
Serious malnutrition (11
percent Global Acute Malnutrition - GAM) twice as high
as that in 2001 and 2000. |
|
Southern Nations Nationalities
and Peoples Region |
|
|
♦ |
Composed
of six special woredas with 15 zones poor rains resulted
in decline of staple crop production and also cash crops
(coffee and peppers) that would have helped in filling
the gap thus resulting in a serious lack of food. |
|
|
♦ |
Malnutrition rates are at
serious levels (11 percent GAM) |
|
|
|
Situation could further deteriorate
if transitional crops (potatoes and beans) fail |
|
Afar
Region |
|
For
this region, which is an entirely pastoral one, the
belg rain was a complete failure causing widespread
loss of livestock and severe shortages of food and water
in many areas as temporary water points dried up earlier
than usual. Contributing factors include restriction
of early migration out of the zones to traditional grazing
relief areas due to closure of access to pastures and
conflict. Some argue that the region has experienced
the worst disaster in the last decade or more. |
|
|
 |
Water trucking and rationing
for both human and livestock underway, |
|
|
 |
Interventions
focus on preventing loss of human lives and further
loss of essential assets such as breeding stock. |
|
|
 |
Livestock
mortality rates range from 5 - 40 percent in the various
woredas of the Afar zone. But these rates are likely
to rise if rains continue to be scarce. |
|
Somali |
|
Conflict
between communities in Shinile Zone and neighbouring
Afar Region and drought in Afar and East and West
Hararghe zones are limiting migration of livestock
to traditional reserve grazing areas |
People
and animals are in dire need of water and
food, in Afar Region
|
|
|
|
Conflict
between communities in Shinile Zone and neighbouring
Afar Region and drought in Afar and East and West
Hararghe zones are limiting migration of livestock
to traditional reserve grazing areas |
|
|
Harari, Dire Dawa and Oromiya |
|
The
extended drought in this area has caused a decline of
production and in rapid and dramatic decline in nutritional
status. East and West Hararge are the critically hit
regions with a 15 Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) nutrition
rate that is said to be the highest and unacceptable
level of malnutrition in the country. |
|
There
are high rates of migration with more than 20,000 people
living in displaced camps in Bale Zone and another 5000
in East Shewa zone. Signs of food stress such as decline
in school attendance are also seen. |
|
Amhara |
|
In good
years the region produces around 33% of the national
Meher grain production. However, this year, with the
early secession of belg rain and the late start of the
Kiremt rains, land preparation and planting was disturbed
resulting in only 2% planted area. The major affected
areas include the low land areas: Tekeze and Abay River
gorges in Wag Hamra, South Gonder, East Goajam Zones
and Noth Shewa, Oromiya, North Wollo zones. |
|
Tigray
and Amhara Regions:
2,100,000 &
4,000,000 respectively at risk due to delayed
main rains.
Situation: Serious
harvest cut backs and food shortage.
Needs: Emergency food aid
|
Afar
Region:
1,100,000 at
risk due to failed short & erratic long
rains.
Situation: Large number of livestock dead and
are still dying in massive numbers and human
health is deteriorating. Competition for scarce
water & grazing resources rampant Needs:
Emergency food aid including supplementary food,
veterinary drugs, water supply & essential
human drugs & medical supplies are urgently
needed.
|
SNNPR:
1,600,000 at risk due to stunted
staple and cash crops, poor small rains, intermittent
dry spells, unfavorable production & market
conditions and delayed main rains.
Situation: Long
cycle crops, especially maize & sorghum,
have failed in most areas.
Needs: Urgent
need for immediate seed supply for short-cycle
crop varieties (probably too late). Emergency
food assistance in selected areas already on-going.
|
Oromiya Region:
4,100,000 at risk due to stunted
staple and cash crops, poor small rains, intermittent
dry spells, unfavorable production & market
conditions and delayed main rains.
Situation: Arsi, Shewa, Bale,
East & West Hararghe lowlands experience
shortfall of rain, drought, stunted crops and
unusual pastoralist & farmer migration.
|
Somali
Region:
1,100,000 estimated to be at
risk due to poor rains & including IDP caseload
from 1999/2000. So far 337,000 in Shinille and
264,000 in Jijiga zone. Other areas of Somali
Region are still under assessment.
Situation: Most affected are
Shinille & Jijiga zones due to below normal
short rains and poor main rains.
Needs: Emergency food aid including supplementary
food, veterinary drugs, water supply & essential
human drugs & medical supplies are urgently
needed. |
|
|
Affected
Areas & Population at Risk, DPPC |
|
Total
requirements for 2003 are 11.3 million beneficiaries
requiring 1.3 million Mt cereals, 124,000 Mt Supplementary
Food and 4,000 Mt vegetable oil. |
|
Requirements by month for
the first quarter of 2003: |
|
Jan : Beneficiaries
7.4 million or 111,000 Mt |
|
Feb : Beneficiaries
8.1 million or 121,500 Mt |
|
Mar : Beneficiaries
9.9 million or 148,300 Mt |
|
rFood Assistance Requirements
(MT) |
Water Assistance Requirements
(USD) |
Health, Nutrition &
Other Sectors Assistance Requirements (USD) |
Agricultural Assistance
Requirements (USD) |
Capacity Building Requirements
(USD) |
Total Non-FoodAssistance
Required (USD) (shelter, rub-halls, blankets
etc.) |
Total Non-FoodAssistance
Required (USD) (shelter, rub-halls, blankets
etc.) |
1,441,142 |
12,686,183 |
25,012,685 |
32,624,937 |
4,690,754 |
75,109,559 |
N/A |
|
|
|
|
Summary
of Assistance Requirements for 2003, DPPC/UNEUE |
|
|
|
Highlights of the Current
situation |
|
|
 |
Food
aid distribution/delivery is being done by both the
Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC)
and NGOs, every month to drought affected areas, |
|
|
|
Pledges as at April 2003
stand relatively good with 72% of the needs for the year
covered, so far. |
|
|
 |
Rains
from December and more recently in March have replenished
water and pasture resources and contributed to an improvement
in livestock conditions in various regions especially
in Amhara and Afar pastoralist areas. |
|
|
 |
The
distribution of food grain is being conducted at a reduced
ration of 12.5kg per person/month instead of 15kg per
person/month due to lack of enough resources and this
has been and is being advocated against by NGOs in the
country that argued that this "amounts to slow
starvation of those without other sources of food". |
|
|
 |
Currently,
poor and critical malnutrition exists especially in
the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region
where people mainly children have started dying of severe
malnutrition. Thus several therapeutic feeding centres
opened in various woredas of SNNPR by NGOs. |
|
|
 |
There
is a dire need of supplementary food to combat the ever-increasing
malnutrition. The current available supplementary food
is only 40% of the required amount, which is insufficient
even with the picture of increasing needs yet to come. |
|
|
 |
Price of grain is on the
rise with the decreasing market supply. |
|
|
 |
Serious water shortages being
reported in Oromia and Somali regions. |
|
|
 |
Agricultural
activities such as land preparation and planting of
Belg and/or long-cycle Meher crops being carried out
in some regions while on the other hand there are large
plots of land left unplanted |
|
|
 |
Intra-regional
resettlement activities started in mid-February 2003
whereby the drought affected people are moved, on voluntary
bases, to sites that are less affected and with access
to necessary living conditions within the region |
|
|
 |
Seeds
(cereal and vegetable) are being distributed in various
regions. Seeds that are improved and in most cases hybrid
are distributed without fertilizer. This is said to
reduce productivity and production for the next harvest |
|
|
|
The Forecast |
|
FAO/WFP's
December 2002 joint mission assessment report forecasts
total pulse and cereal production to be about 9.27million
tonnes, comprising of 8.92 million tonnes from the Meher
harvest and a predicted 350,000 tonnes from the Belg
harvest in 2003. |
|
As a result, the cereal import
requirement in 2003 is estimated at nearly 2.3 million
tonnes. |
|
Food
needs are expected to grow over the next 6 months peaking
in June, with a possible respite for some areas if there
are good February-June rains. However, in less than
three months millions of subsistence farmers and pastoralist
families will be faced with a desperate food situation. |
|
Reference: |
|
FAO/WFP
Special Report: Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission
to Ethiopia, January 2003 |
|
DPPC:
Assistance Requirements and Implementation Strategy:
2002 |
|
DPPC
and UN: Situation Update and Joint Flash Appeal August
2002 |
|
CRDA's Involvement in the
Current Drought |
|
Prepared
by the Information Management Department, CRDA |
|
P.O.Box
5674, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
|
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|