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The number of people in need of food aid in Ethiopia has been revised from the previous estimate of 5.6 million to about 6.8 million for November and about 4.6 million for December, USAID’s Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) said in its October update. Humanitarian agencies found that several factors had contributed to the November increase. These included escalating prices for cereals and other foodstuffs, placing these commodities beyond the reach of some people, lack of coping mechanisms and poor prospects for the upcoming meher (main season) harvest. The report also said pastoral areas were already experiencing food insecurity due to past seasons of poor rains. “Should the rains be poor as forecasted, there may be significant increases in food aid needs for the pastoral population,” it warned.
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