Significant humanitarian needs continue in central and eastern Ethiopia

The Ethiopia Humanitarian Requirement Document (HRD) identified 10.2 million people in need of emergency food assistances in 2016. To date, the HRD has only received approximately a quarter of the total resource requirement for the year. At present, the food stocks available to the three main operators (NDRMC, WFP, and JEOP) will be exhausted by the end of April 2016.

As no improvement in household food availability and access is expected in central and eastern Ethiopia this consumption year, poor households in El Niño drought-affected areas in southern Afar and Sitti Zone in Somali Region, and in the agricultural lowlands of East and West Hararghe Zones in Oromia will remain in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) acute food insecurity through at least March. Were it not for ongoing humanitarian assistance, most Woredas in Wag Himera Zone of Amhara would also likely be in Emergency (IPC Phase 4). Larger areas of Tigray, Amhara, Afar, Oromia, Somali and SNNPR will remain in Crisis (IPC Phase 3).

Although there was some light rainfall and cooler temperatures during the Deda rains in January in parts of Afar Region, the long, dry Jilal season continued in northern pastoral areas. As with previous months, pasture, browse and water sacristy continued affecting livestock productivity. In northern pastoral areas, household food and income access from livestock continued to deteriorate.

Sporadic, low to moderate rainfall, which is not typically seen this time of year, was seen in northeastern areas of Amhara and Tigray Regions in late December and January. Following these rains, farmers in some of areas planted short maturing crops. More importantly, these rains helped to replenish surface water. Similarly, the average to above-average Sapie rains in most parts of Sothern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region in January has been favorable for normal root crop cultivation, particularly sweet potato, and an average harvest is expected in March 2016.

For more detailed analysis, see the Food Security Outlook for October 2015.