Ethiopia is suffering its worst drought in decades

The Belg growing season (February to May) was affected by a severe drought resulting in poor crop and pasture production. This situation puts further stress on households at the start of the following main season (Meher) indicating that a moderate recovery is now unlikely, and serious food security impacts can be expected in many areas of Ethiopia, given two consecutive poor seasons in 2015.

The level of acute need across virtually all humanitarian sectors has already exceeded levels

seen during the 2011 Horn of Africa drought and is projected to be far more severe throughout an eight month period in 2016. The Revised Humanitarian Requirements Document (HRD) released on 23 August 2015 states that 4.5 million people are in need of relief assistance. However, at the beginning of October this figure was drastically

revised upwards to 8.2 million by the Government.

WFP will assist the Government by increasing the number of people assisted from two to six million.

However, additional funds are required immediately in order to meet the increased needs.

Ethiopia is battling its worst drought in decades: The impact of the failed spring belg rains was compounded by the arrival of the El Niño weather conditions that weakened summer kiremt rains that feed 80 to 85 per cent of the country. This greatly expanded food insecurity, malnutrition and devastated livelihoods across six affected regions of the country. The level of acute need across virtually all humanitarian sectors has already exceeded levels seen in the Horn of Africa drought of 2011 and is projected to be far more severe throughout an 8-month period in 2016.

From OCHA UNITED NATIONS ETHIOPIA and WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME

ocha-eth@un.org