By a Staff Reporter

Latest reports from the UN Office for Coordinating Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) show that food prices are continuing to rise and become higher than the global market prices. The failure of belg in Amhara Region seems to worsen the nutritional situation.

Reports from Somalia Region indicate that this year's dry season is going to be difficult due to repeated shocks that have eroded the coping mechanisms of pastoralists. The rains and continued humanitarian interventions in SNNPR are slightly improving the food security situation. Humanitarian coordinator plans to request the Central Emergency Response Fund secretariat for USD 20 million to Ethiopia through the Rapid Response Window for life saving interventions. In line with the 2008 Revised Humanitarian Requirements Document; food, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation interventions have been prioritized for immediate response. Apart from Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD), other health threats including measles and meningococcal meningitis have subsided during the week.

Food security update

High cereal prices continue to negatively affect the livelihoods of many households. Local cereal prices have now become higher than global market prices. According to WFP, imported wheat is currently cheaper than local price of maize and sorghum. The local price of wheat is USD 605/MT compared to import parity of USD 355/MT. The situation is expected to further escalate as the hunger season progresses from June to September.

In Amhara Region a recent OCHA filed mission reported deteriorating food security situation in belg dependent areas of Legambo, Saynt and Dessie Zuria in South Wollo zone and Gidan, Gubalafto and Wadla Delanta woredas in North Wollo zone. The manifestation of belg failure is likely to further worsen the nutritional situation. The report highlights shortage of malnutrition treatment supplies including high-energy biscuits, milk, and oral re-hydration packets.

In South Wollo zone, Targeted Supplementary Feeding program woredas have been reduced from 18 to 7. Legambo woreda, one of the severely affected woredas of South Wollo zone, is among the list of excluded woredas from the programme. Food shortage is expected to increase in the coming months of July and August and may correlate to increase in malnutrition. The team recommends that nutrition surveys should be conducted in belg-dependent areas of North and South Wollo zones to facilitate timely and coordinated response.

In addition, targeted feeding centers should also be established in Legambo woreda in South Wollo zone and Gidan and Gubalafto woredas in North Wollo zone. Another OCHA mission in Afar Region in the first week of June reports that pasture and water availability in zone 3 and 5 and parts of zone 1 is normal. The report highlighted that the Federal Government is meditating between the Afar and Issa following a violent resource based conflict around Mille woreda in Zone 1.

In Somali Region, the long dry season, jilaal, has started in many areas. Reports indicate that this year's dry season is going to be difficult due to repeated shocks that have eroded the coping mechanisms of pastoralists. The rains and continued humanitarian interventions in SNNPR are slightly improving the food security situation. WFP reported that a recent flood displaced 726 individuals around Lake Abaya in Humbo woreda, Wolayita zone. In Oromia Region, however, the food security situation in Arsi, East and West Hararghe zones continues to deteriorate.

The belg/pastoral areas seasonal assessment is scheduled to start on 24th June for pastoral areas of Afar and Somali regions and on 27th June in cropping areas of the country. Apart from Gambella, Beneshangul Gumuz and Western Oromia regions, the Household Economy Approach will be used for all the regions. The Revised 2008 Humanitarian Requirement Document is subject to adjustment based on the findings of the assessment.   

Relief food delivery

Relief food distribution continues; cumulative distributions during January-June 2008 are as follows: approximately 29,670 MT has been allocated to more than one million beneficiaries in Somali Region during January to June 2008.  A total of 23,142 MT has been dispatched to the region. To date 10,907 MT has been reportedly delivered to FDPs, out of which approximately 7,951 MT has been distributed to beneficiaries.

In SNNPR, a total of 34,170 MT has been allocated to more than one million beneficiaries; out of which, 29,612 MT has been dispatched. Approximately 10,642 MT of food has been dispatched to 435,369 beneficiaries in Oromia Region from a total allocation of 13,666 MT. During January to June 2008, 5,703 MT of food has been allocated to some 194,712 beneficiaries in Afar, Amhara, Beneshangul Gumuz, Gambella and Tigray, regions and a total of 4,326 MT has been dispatched to these areas.

Moreover, during the two weeks of June 2008, 1,307 MT of blended food/oil was dispatched to beneficiaries in Amhara, Oromia, Somali and Tigray regions against the November/December 2007 Enhanced Outreach Strategy screening. An amount of 2,396 MT of blended food/oil was dispatched during the same period to beneficiaries in SNNPR against the May to June 2008 screening.

Humanitarian coordinator to request USD 20mln

Humanitarian coordinator plans to request the Central Emergency Response Fund secretariat for USD 20 million to Ethiopia through the Rapid Response Window for life-saving interventions. In line with the 2008 Revised Humanitarian Requirements Document; food, health, nutrition, and water and sanitation interventions have been prioritized for immediate response. In April 2008, CERF has allocated USD 9.6 million from its Under-Funded Emergency window to address critically under-funded sectoral requirements.

Health hazards

Apart from Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD), other health threats including measles and meningococcal meningitis have subsided during the week. According to the Ministry of Health, cases of AWD were reported from Ankesha and Guagusa woredas in Awi zone and Takusa woreda in North Gondar zone in Amhara Region during the week. The situation in Oromia Region is not known as there was no report for the week. Zero report has been received from SNNPR for the last four weeks.

Oromia, Somali and Gambella regions have not reported measles cases during the week; while other regions submitted zero reports. Measles vaccination coverage nationally has reached 62 percent. Planning has started for the third measles Supplementary Immunization Activities that covers central and western Oromia, Beneshangul Gumuz, Gambella, Amhara and Tigray regions.

Furthermore, meningitis vaccination coverage has reached 80 percent in high risk areas. In Addis Ababa, Amhara and SNNPR vaccination is on-going. Action plan preparation is underway to resume vaccination campaigns in high risk areas, which were not covered in previous exercise, with the 1.6 million doses of meningitis vaccine that recently arrived in the country. During the week, Oromia, Somali and Gambella regions have not reported cases; while other regions reported zero case.