El Niño-induced drought threatens millions in Ethiopia

THE CRISIS:  The current emerging food security crisis in Ethiopia is the result of a combination of factors that includes the pre-El Niño failure of the spring rains and the El Niño induced late onset, erratic and early cessation of the main summer rains.  With the exception of some unseasonal rains, the northern half of Ethiopia faces a period of between five (eastern highlands agriculture zone) to eight months (western highlands agriculture zone) without rain. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), more than 10 million people in Ethiopia are at risk of hunger following the worst drought in 30 years as charities warn history could repeat itself. The Ethiopian government says more than 10.1 million people including nearly 6 million children will need emergency food by January because of drought, although informal sources claim that the total figure is more than 15 million.

The crisis in numbers:

• Over 400 rural districts (woredas) affected.
• 10.1 million affected and 1 million by January 2016
• 0.4 million severely acute malnourished
• 1.7 million moderately acute malnourished
• 2.0 million without safe drinking water
• 0.8 million displaced due to shocks
• 400,000 livestock deaths
• 1.4 billion USD required for the emergency response 

LWF Ethiopia is operating in many of the areas where the drought has had a significant impact on the livelihoods of the target communities. LWF Ethiopia has prioritized two of the most affected districts from its current operation areas namely, Rayitu in the lowland Bale Zone, Oromia Region and Lasta in North Wollo, Amhara Region.