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U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FACT SHEET
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-43202003-001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 8, 2003
Ethiopia Eritrea Total Population 65 million 3.5 million People at Risk in Average Year 1-3 million 330,000 2003 People at Risk 11 - 15 million 1.1 -1.4 million Projected Emergency Food Needs 1.5 million MT 280,000 - 350,000 MT Background
Government and World Food Program Appeals: Contributions and Shortfalls
- Since July 2002, when the first signs of crop failure became apparent, USAID has provided approximately 430,000 metric tons of food to Ethiopia, valued at approximately $179 million. USAID emergency food assistance to Eritrea since July 2002, totals 44,000 metric tons, and is valued at $19 million. This food assistance includes wheat, blended cereal, beans and vegetable oil.
- Inadequate and erratic rains over short and long rainy seasons have resulted in widespread crop failure and created a grim humanitarian outlook in Eritrea and across large areas of eastern and southwestern Ethiopia. Ethiopia's Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Committee and USAID's Famine Early Warning System were crucial to alerting policy makers of the critical need.
- Widely observed pre-famine indicators include:
- Rapid rise in grain prices
- Non-availability of short season produce
- Non-availability of seed
- Significant livestock death / poor terms of trade for livestock
- Deterioration in nutritional status
- The next significant harvest is not expected until November 2003.
- Food insecurity is chronic in Ethiopia and Eritrea. USAID is working with the governments to address longer term structural problems through health, agriculture, education and natural resource management programs.
Ethiopia* Eritrea Oct 2002 - Dec 2003 Nov 2002-Dec 2003 Need (in metric tons) 1,775,000 MT 350,000 MT USG Response to Date 430,000 MT 44,000 MT *Ethiopia's donor- supported 300,000 MT grain reserve currently stands at 120,000 MTs; more than 200,000 MTs have already been released against pledges from the international donors and the Ethiopian government.
For more information about USAID's emergency food assistance programs in Africa, please visit www.usaid.gov/about/africafoodcrisis/.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.
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