IN NUMBERS

9.7 million
People food insecure
USD 91 million
Required for humanitarian response in Ethiopia’s agriculture sector
1.3 million
People assisted by FAO seed and livestock interventions since January 2016
USD 14 million
Needed by FAO for urgent livestock interventions

KEY MESSAGES

• New drought is imminent in southeastern regions. The very poor performance of the October to December rains sent shockwaves throughout southern and southeastern pastoral areas of SNNPR, Oromia and Somali Regions and led to widespread scarcity of pasture and water. Livestock body conditions have deteriorated and thousands of animals have died so far. Meanwhile, the prices for livestock have tumbled in response to the glut of animals brought to market, disfavouring terms of trade for livestock owners.
• While crop harvests are slowly improving food security, gains must be vigorously protected. With harvests ongoing since October and through January, crop-dependent areas of Ethiopia are expected to experience a significant boost in food availability, especially with this year’s harvests forecast to be 20 percent higher than in 2015/16. However, post-harvest losses remain high across Ethiopia – crop diseases such wheat rust pose a significant threat to crop yields. Pest and disease surveillance, monitoring and post-harvest management must be priority in the next months to ensure the next harvest is successful.
• Food insecurity rates remain alarmingly high. Local livelihood systems have not fully recovered from the effects of El Niño – leading to severe food and nutrition insecurity reported in eastern Oromia, Amhara and Tigray Regions, as well as in southern Afar and northern Somali Regions. While ongoing meher harvests are gradually improving food access, millions may remain at risks
• Source       –     ReliefWeb