Government, UN appeal for aid after rains fail

The Ethiopian government and the UN say nearly US $12 million is required to stave off the effects of poor rains in the country. In a joint appeal launched on Tuesday, the UN and the government's Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC) said the failure of rains in some parts of the country had led to a further 2,347,715 people seeking additional or continued relief assistance as of July 2002. Existing relief beneficiaries were originally estimated at 3.6 million. The appeal notes that the current food deficit for September-December 2002 now stands at 103,583 mt, and is expected to rise once further assessments have been made. It stressed that supplementary foods were essential and urgent interventions were needed in non-food sectors such as health, water supply, agriculture and livestock. Almost all regions of the country were affected, the document noted, but particularly Afar; Shinile and Fik in the Somali region; Harerge in the Oromiya region; the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's region (SNNP); and Tigray region. Although the current food shortages were influenced by issues such as tribal conflicts, clashes over basic resources, HIV/AIDS and low cereal prices, the main factors were poor Meher rains (mid-June to September) in 2001, the failure of the Belg rains (February to June) in 2002 and the late start of the 2002 Meher rains. "It is now becoming increasingly likely that the country will face significant production shortfalls at the end of the current season," the appeal warned. "The impact of the poor condition of maize and the late start of the activities for the other crops could have far-reaching consequences for relief needs, market supply and prices." "The DPPC urges the donor community to respond to unmet needs to avoid the situation becoming much worse than it is already," the document said.