U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
ETHIOPIA - Drought
Fact Sheet #2, Fiscal Year (FY) 2003    November 13, 2002


Note: This Fact Sheet updates USAID/OFDA Ethiopia Fact Sheet #1, dated
October 10, 2002.

Background

- In 2002, below-average belg, or secondary rains (March-May) coupled with
delayed and sporadic meher, or main rains (July-September) have led to
widespread food insecurity in Ethiopia.  The lack of sufficient
precipitation during the belg season failed to replenish water sources and
provide pasture in the pastoral areas of Afar, northeastern Oromiya, and
northern Somali Regions.  Pastoralists have thus suffered increasingly
over the last few months from significant losses of livestock, decreased
food availability and accessibility, malnutrition, and water shortages.

- In addition, given the poor performance of the meher rains, food
insecurity continues to spread to agro-pastoral and agricultural areas,
particularly the lowlands and midlands of Southern Nations, Nationalities,
and Peoples (SNNP), Tigray, and Amhara Regions.  USAID's Famine Early
Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) estimates that overall crop production
will be 8-15% below average.  However, in isolated areas, estimates of
crop losses are significantly higher than the overall average percentage
loss.

- The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia's (GFDRE)
Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC), along with the
U.N.'s Emergency Unit for Ethiopia (UN/EUE), issued an updated appeal on
the food security situation in country on September 30, 2002.  The appeal
revised the number of Ethiopians currently vulnerable to food insecurity
to approximately 6.3 million people.  Although this number is expected to
decline in the short-term following the main harvest in November, under
the worst-case scenario, the number of affected could reach 14.3 million
people by early 2003.


Current Situation

- According to FEWS NET and WFP's Vulnerability and Analysis Unit (VAM),
rainfall projections through December are expected to be below normal in
Oromiya, Somali, and SNNP Regions.  In addition, areas in Tigray, Afar,
and Amhara, which should have received sufficient rainfall through
September, have reported early withdrawals of rains.

- According to USAID/OFDA field staff, populations in areas of Afar,
Somali, and Oromiya Regions have been adversely affected by significantly
decreased access to potable water.  In response, the Ministry of Water
Resources (MOWR), along with international NGOs, have begun to transport
potable water to affected populations.  In addition, the MOWR plans to
release a contingency plan in the near future that outlines the GFDRE's
planned response to water shortages through March 2003.

- USAID/OFDA field staff report that malnutrition among children under
five is becoming increasingly prevalent in areas of Afar, Amhara, and
Oromiya Regions.  In coordination with the Ministry of Health,
international NGOs and the World Health Organization (WHO) have launched a
measles and vitamin A campaign, as well as planned for the distribution of
emergency health kits to the worst-affected areas of Afar and Oromiya
Regions.

- In an interview with international media on November 11, Ethiopian Prime
Minister Meles Zenawi warned that 15 million people could face starvation
by early 2003 and requested urgent action by international donors.


U.S. Government Assistance

- On August 1, 2002, the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia declared a disaster in
response to the developing drought situation.  In response, USAID/OFDA,
USAID/FFP, and USAID/Ethiopia contributed more than $71 million in
humanitarian assistance in FY 2002.  In addition, in FY 2002 USDA
contributed $34.4 million of section 416(b)  emergency food assistance and
State/PRM provided $7.2 million towards assistance to refugees in
Ethiopia.

- Following the initial October 22 deadline, USAID/OFDA is reviewing all
proposals submitted in response to its Annual Program Statement (APS) and
expects in the coming weeks to robustly fund organizations to provide
emergency, life-saving assistance to those drought-affected populations
most at risk.

- In October, USAID/OFDA deployed an Emergency Disaster Response
Coordinator (EDRC) and Information Officer to Ethiopia to coordinate
USAID/OFDA's humanitarian response to the situation.  In addition,
USAID/FFP deployed staff to augment USAID/Ethiopia's Food and Humanitarian
Assistance (FHA) Unit.

- In FY 2003 to date, USAID/FFP has committed more than 173,300 metric
tons (MTs) of P.L. 480 Title II emergency food assistance, valued at more
than $75 million.




U.S. GOVERNMENT HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO ETHIOPIA


Agency Implementing Partner Sector Regions Amount


FY 2002

USAID   $71,060,360
USAID/OFDA   $1,265,360
USAID/FFP   $67,200,000
USAID/ETHIOPIA   $2,595,000

USDA   $34,485,063
STATE/PRM   $7,221,091

TOTAL USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN FY 2002   $112,766,514
FY 2003 (TO DATE)

USAID   $75,900,000
USAID/OFDA   Pending
USAID/FFP   $75,900,000

WFP
173,300 MT of P.L. 480 Title II Emergency Food Assistance
Countrywide
$75,900,000


TOTAL HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE IN FY 2003 (TO DATE)   $75,900,000





PUBLIC DONATION INFORMATION

- In the interest of effective coordination of public response, USAID
encourages the public to contact directly those private voluntary
organizations (PVOs) currently working in the region in order to provide
monetary donations.  Cash donations are the preferred response to the
emergency.

- For a list of non-governmental organizations providing disaster
assistance in the region, please visit USAID's website at
http://www.usaid.gov.  Those interested in providing specific technical
relief services or commodities can obtain guidelines for private voluntary
organizations through Volunteers in Technical Assistance's (VITA's)
Disaster Information Center at http://www.cidi.org.

- USAID will not deviate from standard Denton Program procedures for
transporting privately-donated relief supplies.  USAID will prioritize
delivery of essential relief commodities.  For more information on the
Denton Program, please refer to the USAID website at
http://www.usaid.gov/hum_response/pvc/denton.html.

- For additional information about humanitarian relief efforts worldwide,
please visit ReliefWeb at http://www.reliefweb.int/



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