Extreme vulnerability persists in parts of East Haraghe

A recent multi-agency mission to the East Haraghe zone of Oromiya state found that localised areas of extreme vulnerability still persist. A report issued by the UNDP Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia (UNDP-EUE) said that while the situation was difficult to generalise about, the present nutritional condition of people living in the highlands appeared to be relatively better than those at lower altitudes. There were pockets of extreme food insecurity, particularly in the lowlands and midlands, but it was difficult to know the extent of these problems since they are located in isolated areas. In ideal circumstances, it might be possible to expect a reduction in requirements by September, when the last belg and first meher crops would normally be expected. However, this scenario was unlikely this year, the report said. In the meantime, the effectiveness of food aid could be enhanced by improving field monitoring, targeting, and food distribution systems to ensure that the most vulnerable were adequately served.