20 February 2024
Addis Abeba, Ethiopia – The Afar region of Ethiopia is facing a worsening drought crisis, with 330,000 people now requiring emergency food assistance. This represents a significant increase of 70,000 compared to earlier estimates, highlighting the growing severity of the situation.
Soue of the immediate needs include 56,000 quintals of food urgently needed to support affected individuals for two months, 4.3% of children in hard-to-reach areas suffer from severe acute malnutrition, scarcity of water, pasture, and invasive bushes threaten over 3.5 million animals, and Afar, Amhara, and Tigray account for over half of Ethiopia’s 6.6 million people needing food aid.
The Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission identifies Afar as one of the three most vulnerable regions in the country’s ongoing drought. Despite recent efforts, a significant gap remains in meeting the needs of affected populations.
The Commission estimates 593,000 quintals of food are required to sustain populations in Afar, Amhara, and Tigray for two months, at a cost exceeding five billion birr. International support is crucial to address this escalating humanitarian crisis.
Children, mothers, and internally displaced persons are among the most affected groups. Malnutrition rates are alarming, with over half of screened pregnant and lactating women showing signs of malnutrition.
The drought poses a severe threat to Afar’s 3.5 million livestock, a critical source of livelihood for many communities. Scarcity of water, pasture, and invasive plants are further straining resources.
Immediate action is required to provide emergency food assistance, address malnutrition, and support the recovery of livelihoods in Afar and other drought-affected regions. This includes increased international support and addressing the long-term challenges of climate change and desertification.
