The Wall Street Journal reports the Ethiopian appeal for massive amounts of foreign aid, as a severe drought in the country puts the East African nation on the border of a potentially drastic humanitarian crisis concerning low levels of food and water. Paul Lomas, Oxfam International’s regional director for East Africa, states that this is the worst drought striking the country in ten years.
Compounding the current situation are the still relatively high prices of food from a prior increase last year, in addition to insufficient amounts of investment in agriculture and a lack of crisis preparation for the impending crisis.
Mitiku Kassa, Minister of Disaster risk management and food security in Ethiopia, states the number of Ethiopians needing food aid increased to 6.2 million from 4.9 million earlier this year — out of Ethiopia’s total population of 83 million.
Mr. Kassa requested a total of $175 million in aid, including more than 160,000 tons of food as well as nonfood assistance such as health and sanitation support and help for agriculture and livestock.
The threat of famine in Ethiopia looms large because most Ethiopians depend on the land for their food and livelihood and the government is expecting another weak harvest due to the lack of rain.
The prolonged crises in the region have stretched the budgets of aid agencies already. Oxfam has already issued an emergency appeal for $15 million to help with the situation in East Africa. The World Food Program also has said it is short on funding this year.
Posted by Patricia Lee.
