Food Crisis Threatens Ethiopia

SCIAF is supplying aid to help those suffering in the growing food crisis in Ethiopia.

With staff in its joint office with CAFOD and Trocaire in Addis Ababa the agency is supplying financial aid as part of an initial £618,000 response from Catholic aid agencies operating in Ethiopia.

Thousands of women, children and young babies are facing a food crisis in the coming months in south and western Ethiopia, SCIAF warned. Failed crops and high food prices have left up to 4.5 million in need of emergency food aid and 75,000 children severely malnourished.

SCIAF is working through the Ethiopian Catholic Church to help sustain and expand therapeutic feeding centres to get emergency food aid to malnourished children under five and lactating mothers. Food, medicines, water, and sanitation facilities are urgent priorities.

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One assessment report covering four areas in the Oromia region alone states a total of 1,445, 947 people need emergency food aid, with 88,922 mothers and 25,174 children moderately or severely malnourished. Another report covering West Arsi, south of Addis Ababa, stated that acute malnutrition coupled with hunger related diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhoea has led to 23 confirmed child deaths with a further 45 unconfirmed.

The growing crisis follows the failure of the first rainy season in 2008. The problems are being compounded by increased food prices in Ethiopia and the global fuel crisis. Migration to feeding centres and towns is increasing as the population searches for food and work.

Beverley Jones, Joint Country Representative in SCIAF’s shared office in Addis Ababa, said:

“The overall situation is getting worse as more people do not have food. Increasing numbers of children and young babies, who are particularly vulnerable, are dying both in remote villages and the therapeutic feeding centres which have been set up to provide emergency food, shelter and medicine.

“More and more women and children are coming to the centres but the demand is going to outstrip our ability of our partners to supply the many thousands who are in need. All efforts must be made to help the Ethiopian government and agencies in their response to this crisis.”

The second rainy season of the year has already started but hopes for a good harvest in October will depend on getting much needed seed to areas where planting needs to start now.

SCIAF’s joint office in Ethiopia are contributing £158,000 to help with delivering food aid. This is a first phase response and it is expected that more help will be needed over the coming months.

Members of the public can donate online or call SCIAF on tel: 0141 354 5555.

Media enquiries to Val Morgan on tel: 0141 354 5555 / Mobile: 07914 408 589 or mail: vmorgan@sciaf.org.uk