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Ethiopia

Ethiopia: 8 to 10 million people face malnutrition

Members of the ACT Ethiopia Forum - the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC), the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY), the Lutheran World Federation (LWF/DWS), Norwegian Church Aid, DanChurchAid, Christian Aid, Canadian Food Grains Bank and Bread for the World - are bringing to the ACT alliance's attention a situation in which 8 to 10 million people are at risk of malnutrition. Severe drought conditions, a late start of the Ethiopian government's National Productive Safety Net Program, meant to provide multi-year support to more than five million chronically food-insecure people, and the lack of adequate resources to provide food and non-food assistance to 3.8 million food-insecure people have combined to create an alarming situation.

The early belg rains (February/March) failed in many areas, including East and West Hararghe and Arsi zones of Oromiya State, parts of Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) State and parts of Tigray State. The situation is severe, with many areas throughout the country showing high levels of global acute and severe acute malnutrition in children under 5. UNICEF's May 4 report to donors cites 80,000 to 170,000 severely malnourished children throughout the country who are at risk of death if not treated, and an additional 360,000 moderately malnourished children who could become severely malnourished if not treated.

There are rising levels of distress migration in certain areas, water is particularly scarce in some areas, and cereal prices are high.

The current rains (late April/early May) are late and may or may not help seasonal food production. Yet the rains will help improve livestock pasture and increase the needed water supplies. In addition, it should be noted that over 100 people as well as many cattle have died and thousands of families have been displaced in the current floods in the Somali Region alone.

The Productive Safety Net Program is designed to overcome people's dependence on food assistance. While this is an important step, continued robust response to emergency conditions is critical to ensure the success of more developmentally oriented programs. This program, which was meant to begin in January 2005, did not start until late March in most areas of the country. Essentially, people targeted under the program have, in most cases, not yet received the planned assistance and are now facing deteriorating health conditions. Women and children are especially vulnerable. Many of the chronically food-insecure people are now facing acute conditions.

Current figures indicate that 64 percent of food needs are pledged and only 22 percent of non-food needs. It must be noted, however, that this includes an un-guaranteed WFP pledge. With the number of people requiring assistance on the rise, the level of resources required is certain to increase significantly. While 64 percent sounds promising, it should be noted that, using current assessments, this figure may not adequately represent real needs.

Unless commitments of food and non-food items are made immediately, the ACT Forum will not be able to pre-position food in the most severely affected areas prior to the rainy season, which starts in June, because of poor road conditions at that time. Lack of pre-positioning will lead to further setbacks and possible loss of life.

The presence of the ACT Forum members at the local level was an asset in undertaking timely interventions in different parts of the country. The members have succeeded in providing service which complement other government and international efforts to mitigate the problem of transitory and chronic food insecurity in the country.

An ACT appeal will be issued soon. We would appreciate any indications of possible funding.