WFP Ethiopia Drought Response Situation Report #4 (June 2022)
Highlights
• Four consecutive missed rainy seasons have caused 9.88 million people to be food insecure in the drought-affected regions of Ethiopia.
• WFP has been forced to cut food rations to 2.4 million people and only treat 17 percent of the malnourished children and mothers across southern and south-eastern Ethiopia due to severe funding shortages.
• Through WFP’s activities to build community resilience and help pastoralists adapt to climate change, 14 hectares of drought-affected land has been prepared to be rehabilitated with WFP’s support.
• WFP urgently needs US $277 million to provide this assistance over the next eight months, responding to the needs of 3.5 million of the most drought-affected people.
In Numbers
• 9.88 million people in need of assistance in drought-affected regions in Ethiopia.
• 3.5 million people that WFP aims to support in its drought response plan.
• 3.3 million people provided with food , cash and nutrition assistance.
• 119,000 children provided with school meals in June.
• 50,000 agro-pastoralists reached with resilience building activities.
Situation Overview
Severe drought has caused 9.88 million people to be food insecure in the drought-affected regions of Ethiopia, including 3.3 million in the Somali Region, 3.3 million in the Oromia Region and 1.1 million people in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples region. Another 2.18 million people need assistance in other areas of the country.
While the seasonal gu short rains took place erratically in March and April, they were far below normal and did not replenish water resources in any of the affected areas. In the Somali Region, the current kiremt long rains are being only received in the Fafan and Sitti zones. As a result, in the Jigjiga markets, the prices of local wheat, maize and sorghum increased drastically, by 39%, 26%, and 20% respectively, from May to June. In the Oromia Region, there are currently 249,000 IDPs and 341,000 people are severely affected by the drought in Guji Zone – where at least 180,000 livestock have died. WFP has not been providing nutrition support to the zone thus far due to insecurity. In the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region, varying levels of rainfall have been received across the Guraghe, Silte and Hadiya zones recently. Still, due to the shortened growing season, below average harvests are expected. This will particularly be the case in the Welayta, Halaba, Gofa, Gamo and Konso zones, which have received less rain.
In response, WFP is supporting families with a combination of emergency relief, nutrition support and resilience building actions to save lives in the short-term and build resilience in the long-term. Food assistance is being delivered in the Somali Region to 2.4 million people, but with a reduced ration due to funding shortfalls. WFP also treats 40,000 malnourished children and mothers in the region with specialized nutritious foods and supports 12,000 agro-pastoralists with trainings on small-scale, drought-resistant agricultural techniques and entrepreneurial skills to help them build a flourishing business and diversify their livelihoods. Meanwhile in the Oromia Region and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region, WFP is delivering specialized nutritious foods to 102,000 mothers and children to address acute malnutrition concerns and providing nutritious school meals to 119,000 children whose families have been affected by the drought.
Source: World Food Programme