Joint Flash Appeal for Assistance to Combat

Joint Flash Appeal for Assistance to Combat

Drought and Food Shortage

Joint Flash Appeal for Assistance to Combat

Drought and Food Shortage

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction......

2. Current Food and Non-food Shortages......

2.1Impact of the 2001 Meher Rain on Food Availability in 2002......

2.2Impact of the 2002 Belg Rain......

Summary of the Situation by Region:......

2.3The Current Year’s Meher Prospects......

3. Response to the Current Emergency Situation......

3.1 Food......

3.2 Seed Assistance......

3.3 Veterinary Drugs......

3.4 Health......

3.5 Water Supply......

Total Funding Requirements By Sector and by Appealing Organisations......

Project Summary of GoFDRE and Participating Agencies

and Organisations Priority Needs......

1. Introduction

While significant commitment has been made to the dialogue on food security and a complementary approach between relief and development agreed among Government partners, the failure of rains in various areas of both belg and meher dependent regions of the country has resulted in increased numbers of persons requiring food assistance for the period June – December 2002. These figures and adjusted needs will be actualised following compilation of data gathered by assessment missions to nine regions. Problems of considerable magnitude in almost all regions of the country and in particular in Afar, Shinile and Fik of Somali Region, Harerghe of Oromiya Region, SNNP and Tigray Regions already demand urgent responses of an emergency nature including food, medical, veterinary, water and nutritional assistance.

The response to the needs for July to December 2002 that were projected in January of this year has been insufficient to meet the number of beneficiaries (3.6 million) that had been identified. More pressure is being brought to meet not only those needs but also those of an additional 2.2 million, identified in the 12 July Special Alert issued by the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC). There is now a projected deficit of 103,583 Metric Tonnes (MTs) for the period September – December 2002. This figure is expected to rise once current mid-meher assessment figures are analysed and released in early September. It must also be noted, however, that in a situation such as this, supplementary foods are essential.

Furthermore, urgent interventions are required in the non-food sectors of health, water supply and agriculture and livestock.

With the shortage of water and lack of adequate hygiene, outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases are expected and have been reported in the Shinille zone of Somali Region. Vulnerability to preventable diseases, such as measles, is also expected to rise. High levels of moderate and severe acute malnutrition are now being reported. It is likely that the nutritional situation will continue to decline in the absence of appropriate and immediate interventions. Nutritional surveys, organised through the Nutritional Coordination Unit (NCU), will be essential tools to identify areas where malnutrition is prevalent or likely and to allow for appropriate interventions.

Livestock in the drought-affected areas north of the Harerghe Mountains have already perished, eliminating a vital source of sustenance among pastoralists and agro-pastoralists. With these resources lost, recovery in pastoral areas will be a complex and costly undertaking.

2. Current Food and Non-food Shortages

The immediate cause of the current food shortages in Ethiopia is the failure of the short (belg, also called sugum in Afar and gu in Somali) and the meher (karam in Afar and Somali) rains. In addition, there are underlying factors, which predispose Ethiopia to chronic food insecurity. These include:

2.1Impact of the 2001 Meher Rain on Food Availability in 2002

Although the performance of the 2001 Meher rains was generally near normal, there were poor crops in various localities, some caused by poor and early cessation of the rain, and others caused by excessive rain and hailstorm damage. In pastoral areas, the rains were generally poor. (See annexed comparative map representing rainfall performance.) In January, the number of people projected to need food assistance in 2002 was estimated at 5,181,700, and the food assistance requirement at 557,204 MTs.

2.2Impact of the 2002 Belg Rain

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. With the belg season extending from February to June, rainfall during the earlier months of February and March was favourable except in Afar. At the beginning of April, however, adverse weather conditions were being observed which affect both long and short maturing crops as well as livestock conditions, particularly in Afar and Somali Regions.

The crises extend from Afar and surrounding regions to other areas of Ethiopia. Observed developments in the south and the north indicate that there is a high probability of serious meher harvest reductions and failures. In parts of southern Ethiopia, long cycle crops, especially maize and sorghum, have been destroyed by an intermittent dry spell. Particularly affected areas are the lowlands along the Rift Valley south of Lake Langano stretching down through Welayita to the Sidama lowlands, as well as areas around Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo. Also affected is Gamo Gofa in southern SNNPRS (Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State). Reports from the DPPC, World Food Programme (WFP), Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) indicate that in areas of eastern and southern Tigray in the north of Ethiopia, the situation is extremely grave, with rainfall far below normal. If rains do not continue into October --- they traditionally end in early September and meteorological data suggests their early cessation --- the situation is expected to also become grave in these areas. (See map below.)

Summary of the Situation by Region:

Afar: Afar is an entirely pastoral region. The belg (sugum) rain was a complete failure which caused widespread loss of livestock and severe shortages of food in many areas. The region has probably experienced its worst disaster in the last decade or more.

A team, composed of Government, donor and UN representatives that recently visited the area witnessed the loss of livestock as well as the poor conditions of the remaining livestock in the areas it visited, rendering them susceptible to disease.

A drought condition in the pastoral areas often entails shortage of drinking water, and a health hazard to persons and livestock. Drought is clearly evident in many areas while preventive measures have been taken to minimise water shortages.

Somali: The pastoralists in the northern part of region, particularly those adjacent to Afar, as well as those in Fik Zone and more recently reported in Jijiga Zone, have experienced adverse weather and livestock conditions. There is now widespread and serious food shortage in these areas. The condition of the livestock and the impact on food availability is similar to that of Afar. Appropriate measures to mitigate the problem are being taken. Unlike the northern areas, the rainfall situation in the southern parts was better, and this has helped improve the food situation. What remains as a major problem in these areas is the condition of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who have been receiving relief assistance since the 2000 emergency.

Oromiya: The pastoral areas in East Shewa Zone of the region (Awash Fentale), which border Afar and Shinile Zone in Somali, have experienced severe livestock losses. The belg crops in East and West Harerghe and lowland Bale have also performed poorly and the negative impact is markedly evident in the deteriorating nutritional status of a cross-section of the population. All of these areas have become heavily dependent on relief. Livestock disease prevention and other related interventions are being made.

SNNPR: Various crops –both cereals and roots crops - are planted during the belg season to sustain the population through the June – September period. The crop condition in most of the low-lying areas was poor, and this has caused serious food shortages. The performance of the rain in most of the remaining areas was also poor.

Tigray: Crops completely failed in three of the six belg producing (weredas) administrative units of the Southern Zone, where the livestock have also been affected. A fourth wereda has received much reduced production.

Amhara: Amhara is an important belg-producing region, and the performance of the crops was mixed. Areas that were planted early managed to get a relatively better harvest, while those planted late suffered from the poor rains in April and May. The poor rains also caused widespread livestock deaths in the areas of North Wello which border Afar. Frost and disease also caused additional damages in the areas of North Wello.

Dire Dawa Administration: The Administration is predominantly urban, but its surrounding rural areas are either nomadic or semi-nomadic. They border the adjacent drought-affected areas of Somali and Oromiya Regions. The rains were poor in all the weredas, and this has increased the existing number of persons who require relief assistance.

Other Regions: The remaining regions are neither belg growing nor pastoral, and the belg assessment did not cover them. The forthcoming mid-meher assessment will be a source of information on their respective situations.

The failure of the belg rain in the regions discussed above has resulted in an increase by a total of 2,347,715 persons, the number seeking additional or continued relief assistance from July 2002 to December 2002. Those newly seeking additional assistance are additions to the existing relief beneficiaries. Those seeking continued assistance are those who were expected to be self-supporting with a favourable belg. The duration of assistance varies from region to region with most of the beneficiaries requiring six months assistance and others four to five months. As indicated earlier, these numbers reflect minimum adjustments with further increases expected when current mid-meher 2002 assessment results are compiled.

2.3The Current Year’s Meher Prospects

The current year’s meher crops may be affected by two adverse weather conditions. One is the failure of the belg rain itself, which has seriously affected the meher crops planted during the season, while the other is the late start of the meher rain.

The belg rain is critical for the planting and germination of maize and sorghum, two of the three major crops grown in the country, as well as for land preparation for the other crops. Maize accounts for about 26%, and sorghum 15% of the total production in the country. The two crops are normally planted in April, and in some areas up to May. This year’s poor belg rain has severely disrupted their planting, which has further been aggravated by the late start of the meher rain. In many areas, the meher rain started in mid July, late by up to one month. The performance of maize and sorghum has, as a result, been very poor in most of the areas that heavily depend on these crops for home consumption.

The poor crop condition in many of the traditional maize growing areas of the south, stretching from the southern part of Oromiya to many areas lying along the rift valley part of SNNPR, was evident during a recent field visit by a joint Government - donor – UN team.

Likewise, a very poor condition of sorghum was reported and witnessed in the important sorghum-producing areas of south Tigray, in the neighbouring areas of North Wello Zone of Amhara Region and in the eastern parts of South Wello and North Shewa Zones. All reports also confirm that the mid-and-low-lying areas of East and West Harerghe Zones of Oromiya have suffered considerable losses of maize and sorghum, the major crops in these areas.

It is now becoming increasingly likely that the country will face significant production shortfalls at the end of the current season. The impact of the poor condition of maize and the late start of the activities for the other crops could have far reaching consequences for relief needs, market supply and prices. Except the western part of the country, all regions are expected to experience moderate to serious losses of production. The late rains have also disrupted the planting of short maturing crops, which are normally harvested in September; and the unlikelihood of obtaining such an early harvest could increase relief needs as of October. The full extent of the crop damage that has so far occurred will be established after the mid-meher assessment, currently underway, is completed in early September. It should also be noted that the current weather conditions are under the influence of El Niño, which is expected to have its own negative effects.

Concerted efforts are currently being made to replace failed crops with late-planting varieties. To this effect, seed assistance has been provided to many areas. The success of this effort will, however, depend on the extension of the rainy season. Many other crops planted late also require extended rains. There are concerns of early cessation of the rain to which the El Niño factor could contribute. And yet, even if this effort were successful, compensation for production shortfalls would be minimal as any crop replacing the long maturing varieties, would never give high yields. It looks probable, therefore, that the outcome of this year’s meher harvest will be significantly lower than the previous year.

3. Response to the Current Emergency Situation

The current emergency situation has required multi-faceted responses. The emergency has negatively impacted not only on food availability, but also health and water, affecting the well- being of both human beings and livestock. Measures, which help mitigate the disaster, are also being taken through the provision of seeds. The emergency needs and responses so far have been as follows:

3.1 Food

Since the July Special Alert, a total of 142,196 MTs - including part of the 45,000 MTs Government contribution - has been allocated to regions and is being distributed. The total food assistance required for the September - December period, is 173,970MTs, of which 70,387 MTs is available.

The DPPC urges the donor community to respond to unmet needs to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. It also noted not only the expected increase in needs (September - December 2002) following the analysis of data from the ongoing mid-meher field assessments, but also taking into consideration the expected critical requirement for carry-over stocks for the first few months of 2003.

3.2 Seed Assistance

The total seed assistance requirement of those farmers who lost their crops was estimated at 11,570 MTs with a budgetary estimate of Birr 34,983,113. A total of Birr 18,045,361 has so far been provided to the regions, and this covers about 50% of their requirement. The purchase and distribution of the seed is currently underway, with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) responsible for verification and timeliness of interventions.

3.3 Veterinary Drugs

The extended drought in Afar and the northern part of Somali Region has weakened the remaining livestock making them more vulnerable to disease. This problem is increasingly becoming a major concern. It has become imperative that both preventive and curative measures be taken. The initial budgetary requirement estimated for the purchase of essential drugs for both regions was Birr 2,946,800. The purchase and distribution of the drugs is almost complete as the Government immediately allocated the funds. Similar assistance also has been provided to Awash Fentale in Oromiya. Some donors and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have, as well, been involved in the purchase and distribution of drugs needed in Afar.

Livestock disease has also been widespread in the low-lying areas of Tigrai, Amhara, and Dire Dawa Administration. Already, many livestock have died. A minimum of Birr 5,402,296 is required for drug purchases for these Regions. The Government will allocate a portion of the funds, while donor support would be greatly appreciated to cover the rest.

3.4 Health

Health interventions so far made have been of a precautionary and preventive nature. To this effect, the Government has positioned 21 medical kits, worth about Birr 2.8 million, in eight strategic locations in Afar and Somali Regions.