FAO/GIEWS Special Alert on the drought in East Africa
FAO/GIEWS has released a Special Alert on the drought in East Africa.
The highlights:
- Prevailing severe dry weather conditions, virtually since October 2016, have affected rangelands and crops in large parts of East Africa, causing a serious deterioration of food security conditions in the subregion.
- Major areas of concern are central and southern Somalia, southeastern Ethiopia, northern and eastern Kenya, northern United Republic of Tanzania, and northeastern and southwestern Uganda.
- Localized Fall armyworm infestations are likely to further affect yields in the affected areas.
- Soaring prices of cereals are limiting food access for large numbers of poor households.
- The purchasing power of pastoral households in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia is severely constrained by plunging prices of livestock and rising prices of cereals.
- Recurrent climatic shocks have undermined household resilience. Urgent support to agricultural livelihoods is critically needed.
The Special Alert can be accessed through the following link:
http://www.fao.org/3/a-i7537e.pdf.