Drought worsens in Ethiopia and Eritrea

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November 2002

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Drought worsens in Ethiopia and Eritrea
Millions in Ethiopia and Eritrea are on the brink of malnutrition and starvation as sustained drought has all but eliminated crops and killed livestock. If relief assistance is not delivered in time, Ethiopia faces conditions similar to the famine of 1984-85, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) reported on October 22. The agency also reported that nearly half of Eritrea's population will be in need of food assistance as conditions worsen.

"The situation here is deteriorating fast," said Anne Bousquet, CRS Country Representative for Ethiopia. "This year there are areas of the country that have never before experienced severe drought, and in many areas, people have not had enough time to fully recover from previous periods of drought."

An estimated 10 to 14 million Ethiopians will be severely affected by inadequate rainfall needed to support their subsistence agricultural livelihoods. CRS is preparing its emergency operations and has requested more than 300,000 metric tons of food for distribution starting in November 2002 through July 2003 in coordination with its partnering international and Ethiopian relief organizations. The agency noted that the U.S. government has reacted quickly to requests for emergency food supplies in the region.

"We are greatly encouraged that the United States has offered its generous support to the people of Ethiopia and to humanitarian organizations working to avoid disaster here," Bousquet said. "We are keenly aware that swift action and early planning of long-term food assistance, when integrated with traditional development programming to help communities get beyond the cycle of food insecurity, can stave off famine and starvation."

Yet Bousquet emphasized that between one to two million metric tons of food may be required over the next 12 months, as communities will have little to no food reserves if this year's crops completely fail. In the regions of Afar, Somali and the lowland areas of Oromiya, thousands of livestock have died and crops are not maturing, and in the densely populated highlands of Wolayta/Konso, nearly all maize and sweet potato crops are failing.

Located in eastern Africa, Ethiopia is a landlocked country that is heavily dependent on agriculture. Weather disturbances like the current drought have the potential to cripple the country's already shaky economy; nearly a third of the more than 65 million people living in Ethiopia live on less than $1 per day.

In Eritrea, the drought's effects have not yet begun to take their toll on people, CRS reported. But the agency emphasized that emergency relief operations must be in place to deal with a potential disaster that threatens 1.4 million of the country's 3.3 million people.

"Eritrea has been hit hardest along the southern border and this is the only food- producing area," said Jack Norman, CRS Country Representative for Eritrea. "A recent study indicated that the Gash Barka region, considered to be the 'bread basket' of Eritrea with 80 percent of all production in an average year, will only be able to harvest 28 percent of the expected production this year."

Norman noted that Eritrea's government has little public resources to generate income in times of crisis, intensifying the need for outside assistance. "The percentage of people who will be completely and utterly unable to feed themselves or cope with this crisis is unprecedented," Norman said.

CRS is currently working with its church partners in Eritrea to respond with food support and drought mitigation projects. The agency also operates ongoing water and sanitation, health, micro-credit and education support programs in the country.

CRS is also supporting efforts in Washington to encourage Congress and the Bush Administration to continue to fund emergency relief efforts in the Horn of Africa as well as in southern Africa. The agency has also requested increased funding for humanitarian and development aid in 2003 so that it can complement direct food assistance in Ethiopia and Eritrea with longer-term agricultural support programs.

The eastern Africa food crisis has emerged as humanitarian organizations are also stepping up emergency operations throughout southern Africa, where a combination of drought, floods and disruptions to commercial farming have put 14.4 million at risk of food shortages.

"The needs in Africa right now are vast and growing," said Ken Hackett, CRS Executive Director. "We must not allow our current concern related to insecurity and terrorism lessen our compassion for those who are suffering from drought and famine in Africa."

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