Gov't dismisses projected food security deterioration in 2010

By a Staff Reporter

Following this week's Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) warning of increased huinger, the Ethiopia government rejected the report saying it was not backed by evidence.

Mitiku Kassa, Minister of State for Disaster Risk Food Security Sector under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, told BBC that the report was baseless and contrary to the situation on the ground.

Mitiku said that though 5.7 million people were currently getting food aid, in the country's context there was no hunger or famine. "The situation is not as bad as in recent years," he said, adding that the government was taking action to mitigate the problem.

The network earlier said that poor performance of the June to September rains has resulted in below-normal harvests in meher-cropping areas as well as poor water availability and pasture regeneration in northern pastoral zones.

"This, combined with two consecutive poor belg cropping seasons (March-May), high staple food prices, poor livestock production, and reduced agricultural wages, is expected to drive elevated food insecurity over the coming six months".

It also said that areas of particular concern are eastern marginal cropping areas in Tigray, Amhara, and Oromia, pastoral areas of Afar and northern and southeastern Somali region, Gambella region, and most low-lying areas of southern and central SNNPR.

“In most areas of the country, food insecurity during the first half of 2010 is projected to be significantly worse than during the same period in 2009. However, improved food aid distribution and trade flows, along with recent rainfall, will benefit pastoral populations in southern and eastern Somali region,” it added.

Food security in eastern marginal cropping areas will likely deteriorate even further between July and September 2010. Overall, humanitarian assistance needs are expected to be very high, according to the network.

Meanwhile, the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) has raised a red flag over the worsening food security situation in the Horn of Africa.

Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner in charge of development and humanitarian aid, attributes the disastrous situation to the terrible potential of climate change.

"Large parts of the Horn of Africa have had less than 75 percent of normal rainfall last year, having already endured a series of severe droughts. The population can no longer cope with such extreme and protracted hardship which often comes on top of conflict situation. As a result, more than 16 million people desperately need help," he said in a statement released by ECHO.

In Ethiopia, ECHO reports indicate with several consecutive crop failures, the nutritional situation in the country has deteriorated badly and is expected to worsen further.

Initial optimism occasioned by forecasts of El Niño rains were thwarted when November proved largely dry. El Niño refers to a periodic warming of temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, far from East Africa's shores but with impacts on the country's rainfall and weather patterns.

Samuel Mwangi, acting assistant director of Kenya's national weather forecasting services, explains that El Niño has been linked with greater rainfall during the annual "short rains" in East Africa between October and December.

ECHO warns that if the December rains are below average, parts of Kenya may suffer irreparable damage.

ECHO regional information officer Daniel Dickinson told IPS, "In the face of the unfolding drought situation, ECHO is providing 50 million euros in humanitarian aid to vulnerable drought-affected people in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. The rains have failed and people have exhausted the coping mechanisms which they had and urgently need help."

Kenya's minister for special programmes, Naomi Shaban, issued a similar warning in mid-December over the worsening food security situation across the country.

Speaking as she flagged off relief food worth $80,000 donated by Telkom Kenya and World Vision Kenya, Shaban said ten districts across the country are facing an imminent crisis in relation to food insecurity.

"Unfortunately, the country has experienced another season of failed rains which is expected to increase the current levels of food insecurity. Although Kenya's food security is still on the borderline, many districts are at risk of sliding into an acute food and livelihood crisis. This situation is made worse by high food prices," Shaban explained.

The Reporter.