ETHIOPIA* (10 June)
During the first months of the year, a precarious food security situation with high malnutrition rates was reported in some areas following a combination of factors, including delays in the transfer of resources to beneficiaries under the Productive Safety Nets Program (PSNP) and partial and late response to the Humanitarian Appeal. In addition, heavy rains and floods in the southern and eastern lowlands resulted in loss of life, displacement of tens and thousands of people and severe damage to property and infrastructure.
The heavy rains in April and May have, however, improved prospects for the 2005 secondary “belg” grain crops in several parts of the country. The belg crop accounts for some 10 percent of national level grain production but in some areas it provides most of the annual grain production. Good rains in April and May have also helped the replenishment of pasture and water in the lowland areas of the south and south-east and in the pastoral Afar region, and encouraged farmers to plant and prepare land for the next main cropping season.
Despite improved conditions in some areas, the food security situation is still of concern in parts of country, particularly in eastern parts of Oromia and southern parts of Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) where a number of districts are classified as hot-spot areas. Household food availability is reportedly poor and high malnutrition rates in some locations are of concern. A multi-agency mission, composed of Government, UN and other humanitarian agencies revised in April the total number of people in need of emergency food assistance in 2005 upwards from 3.1 million to 3.8 million with food requirement of about 464 000 tonnes. It is expected that contributions currently under discussion will cover the requirements for the remaining of the year. However, further adjustments of needs may follow the annual “belg/gu” assessment which begins in late June.