International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
1IQuestion and answers / Horn of Africa drought / 14August 2011

The IFRC has released a report advocating for change to break the cycle of devastating drought emergencies in the Horn of Africa. The key messages of the report are:

  • Governments, donors and humanitarian organisations must work together on a long term approach, addressing the chronic underlying issues. Together, we need to focus on preventing future crises through intelligent investment in sustainable change.
  • We must build the resilience of communities, empower people to identify their development priorities and diversify livelihood options. Small holder farming provides one solution for struggling pastoralist communities and should be expanded.
  • Donors already motivated to provide increased funding during times of heightened emergency must also be encouraged to look at investing to prevent the next disaster, as well as meeting emergency needs. Humanitarian aid and development must work hand in hand. Examples in this report show how their investment will lessen the need to fund expensive and unsustainable emergency responses in years to come.
  • Communities should be protected from rising food prices that magnify the impact of drought. As set out in the 2011 World Disasters Report, new regulations must curb the ability of speculators to exert excessive market power over food.
  • Disaster risk reduction in communities has to become a priority. Governments should increase their investment in community infrastructure and social services with a focus on education to ensure the next generation can live healthy, productive lives.

Information on the Red Cross Red Crescent response in the Horn of Africa:

Kenya

A revised appeal for CHF30,438,354 was launched on 3 October, 2011 aiming to support 1 million people. Due to the substantial increase in required resources, the appeal is currently only 24% funded. The revised appeal focuses on food security & livelihoods, water & sanitation and emergency health & care.

To date, the Kenya Red Cross has delivered 450 metric tonnes of Unimix food supplement to schools reaching over 77,000 children and provided emergency health and care to over 12,000 people among other achievements.

Ethiopia

A revised appeal for CHF28,408,085 was launched on 26 September 2011 aiming to support 570,000 people. Due to the substantial increase in required resources, the appeal is currently only 22% funded. The revised appeal focuses on providing emergency health & care, basic food items to households, increasing access to water and providing assistance to refugees in Dolo Ado camp.

The focus of the Ethiopian Red Cross so far has been providing access to water; either through rehabilitating boreholes or using the emergency option of bringing in water by truck.

Somalia

An appeal for CHF 4,158,791 was launched on 23 September 2011 aiming to support 150,000 people. It is currently 31% funded. The IFRC is supporting the Somali Red Crescent in its activities in Somaliland and Puntland, as the ICRC works in the conflict hit areas of Somalia. The focus of the work in Somaliland and Puntland is health outreach services and nutrition activities through the fixed and mobile health clinics.Thiswill be complemented by rehabilitation of water sources, providing a fuel subsidy to run boreholes and rebuilding livelihoods for fishing communities

Tanzania

An appeal for CHF 1,352,126 was launched on 28 September 2011 aiming to support 20,000 people. It has not yet received funding. The Tanzania Red Cross will provide food assistance and cash grants to the most in need households. It will also focus on improving food production through support with agricultural inputs (fertilizer and seeds), farming tools (hoes, machetes, axes and shovels) and training on dry land farming and food storage techniques.

Djibouti

An appeal for Djibouti is likely to be launched in the coming weeks, with a focus on preventing malnutrition and water-borne diseases in both rural and urban areas.

For further information, please contact:

In Nairobi:

  • Nancy Okwengu, communications officer, IFRC East Africa
    Mobile: +254 733 632 946 – E-mail:

In Johannesburg:

  • Faye Callaghan, communications manager, IFRC Africa
    Mobile: +27 71 895 2774 – E-mail:

In Geneva:

  • Susie Chippendale, public communications manager, IFRC
    Mobile: +41 227 304 942 – E-mail: