Food Crisis in Ethiopia
Situation
ActionAid Ethiopia, in collaboration with the Woreda agriculture office, supplied potato seed to the Egu peasants of the rural kebeles in Kombolcha Woredai. Sofia Yusuf, a single mother of five said that the potato supply would keep her and her children alive over the next few months.
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The absence of the short rainy season, in Ethiopia has meant that areas that produce short duration crops have failed to produce cereals, tuber crops and vegetables. The food security problem in Somali, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) and lowlands of Oromiya is expected to deteriorate further in July/August as no belg harvest is expected due to the failure of the rains.
The absence of rains affects the entire country, in particular the pastoralists in Afar, Somali and southern Oromiya and worsened the water and forage scarcity. The problem is hardest on poor farmers, lower-income urbanites and laborers who lost crops and livestock due to the draught and ensuing shortage of forage for the animals.
The main effects of the widespread drought are;
- Severe water shortages
- Failure of food crops
- Soaring price of food and food shortages
- An outbreak of dry season associated diseases including AWD (acute watery diarrhea), bloody diarrhea and malnutrition
- 427 cases of meningitis and 17 deaths have been reported
- 7043 cases of measles and 17 deaths have been reported
- Poor livestock health
- Risk to future food security prospects due to shortages of seeds for next season
- Millions of Ethiopian children under 5 may be at risk of malnutrition. These children require continuation of urgent preventive health and nutrition intervention
- 126,000 children are in need of urgent therapeutic care severe malnutrition
- 50 Million USD urgently required for health, nutrition and water and sanitation
Food Shortages and Increasing Food Prices
Since March, food prices have increased by 25% with the price of Teff, the major staple food in urban areas more than doubling in price along with other crops. The price of fertilizer has also increased. It has been reported that 4.5 million people need emergency food aid; this has increased by over 1 million since the previous estimate of 3.4 million.
The crisis is reminiscent of its devastating 1984-1985 famine, which killed more than 1 million. There is particular concern for the lack of availability of cereals and blended food for relief and Supplementary food for Therapeutic Supplementary Feeding programmes. Food suppliers are finding it difficult to raise their production capacity due to power shortages and price increases for raw materials.
His Excellency Ato Simion Mechale said the 4.5 million figures do not include more than 8 million Ethiopians in drought-prone areas who regularly receive food or cash from a government program.
The drought is now extending to cover some parts of Tigray and Amhara regions which are expected to worsen in the coming three months June to August. The food security situation in the drought affected areas of Oromiya, Somali and SNNPR, is anticipated to deteriorate further as the hunger season sets in begins in June, especially when combined with food price increases.
Additionally, the price of agricultural inputs such as chemicals and fertilizer has increased by more than double in comparison to the price at the same time last year. Poor farmers were particularly affected because they were unaware of the price situation in advance and as a result, many sold significant shares of their crop products at the time of harvesting in order to cover input repayments and taxes. It quickly became very difficult for these farmers to lose their livestock assets to cover some costs.
Areas Affected
The main areas affected by the severe water shortages are SNNP, Afar, Oromiya, and Somali regions. Oromiya, SNNP and Somali areas are additionally facing acute food shortages caused by crop failure.
SNNPR - the livelihood of communities is highly threatened as the major root crop, Enset, has been severely depleted due to the drought, excessive consumption and diseases. There are reports of severe and acute malnutrition which are stretching the capacity of treatment centres.
Afar Region – experiencing severe water shortages, especially in Elidar, Kori, Bidu and Erebti woredas.
Oromiya - Food insecurity is also reported in the highlands of Bale, East Hararghe and West Arsi zones of Oromiya Region.
Increased cases of malnutrition are being reported from Dinsho, Meda Welabu, Sinana and Delo Mena woredas in Bale zone; Kersa and Goro Gutu woredas in East Hararghe zone and Gedab Assasa, Kofele, Adaba and Siraro woredas in West Arsi zone. Army worm and locust infestations have been reported in Borena, Bale and Guji zones further affecting the newly shooting grass and some farm lands.
The rains were not uniformly distributed across this region and were particularly erratic in Shilabo, Mustahil, Ferfer, Kelafo, Aysha, Afdem, Geladi, Bok, Warder, Bare and Hargele woredas. This has created problems of malnutrition, and poor livestock condition and production.
ActionAid's Response
ActionAid's regular program of work itn Ethiopia focuses in the hardest-hit areas, including the Oromiya, SNNP, Amhara and Tigray regions. ActionAid isworking closely with local governments and communities in Kombolcha, Yarbello, Kambashi and Laga Hidha to assess needs, analyze the root causes that we must address to produce a long-term solution to the food shortages, and to strengthen local response. Our activities include:
- Providing initial capital for small cooperatives to use to invest in small businesses etc
- Supporting women to establish close relationships with farmers producing and marketing crops, in order for them to gain short term relief by receiving grain and vegetables
As we move forward, ActionAid will do the following:
- Training and supporting women to produce alternative income and energy sources
- Providing plastic water containters with a 10,000 liter capacity to collect raiin and provide water for the community
- Distributing veterinary medicines to farmers to save livestock
- Conduct national level meeting with ActionAid staff and community leaders, emergency program officers, local partners, governmental officials and other stakeholders to identify ways to improve Ethiopia's resiliency to this type of crisis
- Continue to provide immediate releif of food, basic health care, seeds and food supplies for chilren in affected areas
Donate now and help ActionAid reach those in Ethiopia affected by this food crisis
