8.5 million Need Food Aid In 2020-Ethiopian Government

By Bimbo Ogunnaike

An Ethiopian government report released on Tuesday warned 8.5 million people will need food aid from the period of February to June 2020.

The first Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis report released by the Ethiopian government said despite ongoing assistance, insufficient harvest in the coming months means about 8.5 million people are expected to need food aid in the first half of 2020.

The report said conflict and climate-induced displacement, high food prices and the long dry spell in the northeastern parts of Ethiopia will likely aggravate the needs of 8.5 million vulnerable people.

The report further warns of the need to take urgent action to save lives and reduce malnutrition, and to mitigate the effects of the anticipated food security crisis in the first half of 2020.

In March 2019, the Ethiopian government and its humanitarian partners including the UN had appealed for 1.3 billion U.S. dollars to address food and non-food emergency needs of some 8.3 million people.

Ethiopia was spared significant climate-related calamities last year, but spikes in conflict-induced displacements, which led to an increase of internally displaced population, contributed to high humanitarian response needs in 2019.