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U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PRESS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-43202002-111
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2002Contact: USAID Press Office
Washington, DC -- The U.S. Agency for International Development has pledged an additional 100,000 metric tons of wheat to help meet the needs of millions of drought-affected people in Ethiopia. Including today's contribution, the U.S. government has provided 294,000 metric tons of food assistance, valued at $155 million, to Ethiopia in 2002. This will feed approximately 6.7 million people for one month.
The U.S. government pledge was presented by the Administrator of USAID Andrew Natsios to Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Seyoum Mesfin. Administrator Natsios said, "For many people in Ethiopia, the absence of rains for one season can tip the balance from getting by to going hungry in a matter of weeks. A quick, coordinated response by government and the international community is essential to saving lives."
There is a severe shortfall of food in Ethiopia. The cause of the crisis is the sparseness of the spring rains and the delay in the summer rains, which have been erratic and below average in most areas. Almost 7 million people in Ethiopia are threatened by food shortages today.
Since August 2002, the U.S. government also has contributed drought assistance of $1.3 million for nutritional feeding programs in Afar and $400,000 for seed distribution--to provide farmers with a second option for replanting short-cycle crops as long as the rains continue--in the Tigray, Amhara, Oromiya and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples regions. To meet the urgent health needs of children and other vulnerable groups, USAID has contributed more than $1.0 million to UNICEF for essential drugs and medical supplies to be distributed at special pharmacies located at zonal hospitals and health centers in the drought afflicted areas. The funds also include the purchase of emergency health kits, which include essential drugs, antibiotics and medical supplies. The emergency kits will be distributed on a priority basis to the worst affected areas first.
Ethiopia suffers from a chronic shortfall of food. Many communities have not recovered from the last drought (1999-2000), and the erosion of household assets over recent years has left millions of people extremely vulnerable. The need is expected to be greatest between March and June 2003, when food from the poor 2002 harvest begins to run out and before the spring harvest from 2003 is available. Estimates indicate that between 9 and 13 million people could be at risk by March 2003.
USAID has been monitoring the situation in Ethiopia with increasing concern. Recent emergency donations by the United States and other donors allow Ethiopia to release food stocks from its emergency reserves knowing that they will be replenished. The reserves will feed those in need now and are expected to last through December, when the additional U.S. contribution will arrive.
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