Ethiopia drought
The failure of seasonal rains and onset of drought has led to severe food shortages across large parts of Ethiopia.
- Approximately 25 million people affected
- Price of many food items has almost doubled in the last six months
- Around 100,000 children thought to be suffering from severe acute malnutrition
The worst-affected regions at present are Afar, Somali, Oromiya and SNNPR (Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region) where the drought has resulted in severe water and food shortages.
Oxfam is supporting more than 110,000 vulnerable women, men and children by providing water, food, and a means of earning a living.
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A humanitarian catastrophe
Crop failure due to severe drought in most parts of the country, along with skyrocketing food prices, have pushed millions of people to the brink of starvation and impoverishment. Pastoralists and agro-pastoralist communities in the southern and southeastern parts of Ethiopia are becoming increasingly vulnerable.
The performance of the seasonal rains has been poor in most areas, greatly affecting agricultural production and worsening the food security situation. There is little food and water in the southern parts of the country, with the Somali, Afar, Oromiya and SNNPR regions most affected.
In some areas the poor rains have affected water and pasture availability, leading to losses of 60-100 per cent livestock.
Global price hikes, along with poor supply of food items, have badly affected the already worsening food security situation. Families are skipping meals, buying cheaper but less nutritious food and selling belongings to buy food. Women and children are particularly vulnerable. Malnutrition among children is increasing at an alarming level. Lack of access to clean water and safe facilities is putting millions at risk, with cases of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) reported in Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions.
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Oxfam's response
Oxfam is supporting more than 110,000 vulnerable women, men and children living in the most drought-affected areas of Somali and Afar Regions by helping them to build and rehabilitate water resources, providing cash and food items, and assisting them to find ways of making a sustainable living.
Oxfam in action: Responding to drought in Ethiopia
Our public health initiatives include water trucking, excavation and rehabilitation of ponds and hand dug wells, along with the installation of pumps and pipelines to ensure water for human and animal consumption all around the year. Water trucking has been carried out in areas that have been hardest hit by the drought during the driest months of July and August.
We have launched a public health promotional campaign to reduce the risk of water borne disease. Community mobilisers provide information on safe health and hygiene practices including water purification, water storage and excreta disposal through house-to-house visits as well as community gatherings.
Our livelihood work focuses on providing cash to the most vulnerable families through mobilising communities to rebuilt water and sanitation facilities under a cash-for-work programme. In order to improve their nutritional intake, and increase their access to markets, Oxfam is providing food vouchers to families in greatest need.
Case study: Food fairs
In the Somali region of Ethiopia the price of maize has soared by almost 195 per cent since the start of the year and most food grains are extremely scarce. To help ensure that the most vulnerable households have access to food, Oxfam has been running a series of special 'food fairs.'
Those chosen to take part in the programme include households headed by women and the elderly who are unable to participate in our cash-for-work projects.
Our programme has been providing support to 1,207 families in Ayesha district through the distribution of food vouchers. Each participating houshold was given vouchers for 20 kilograms of shorgum (and in some cases rice and sugar) and three litres of oil. These could then be exchanged at specially organised food fairs supplied by local traders who were later paid by Oxfam.
Food fairs not only ensure families are able to access food they might otherwise be going without, but also help rejuvenate the local market by helping local traders. Oxfam plans to organise a food fair once a month for the next three months until the price of staple grains is stabilised after the 'Meher' harvest in November.
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