The United Nations food agency is increasing its shipments in response to the deteriorating food situation in Ethiopia.
Chris Nikoi, the interim Country Director in Ethiopia for WFP, along with our partners, is tirelessly working to reach millions of Ethiopians who are facing the threat of hunger in the first quarter of the year. This effort aims to prevent a major humanitarian disaster.
He emphasized that the World Food Programme is deeply worried about the worsening food insecurity in the northern region of Ethiopia, where a large number of people are already experiencing extreme levels of hunger.
Since late 2023, the agency has been implementing stronger delivery methods for its operations in Ethiopia. Their goal is to provide essential food aid to the most vulnerable communities affected by drought, flooding, and conflict.
According to the agency, the food agency’s efforts to aid refugees are extremely important. With the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which started in April 2023, driving a large number of refugees into Ethiopia, it is estimated that an extra 200,000 Sudanese refugees will arrive. This will place a significant burden on WFP’s refugee assistance program if more funding is not secured.
Rising hunger
According to Mr. Nikoi from WFP, a total of 6.2 million individuals who are considered the most vulnerable in the regions of Afar, Amhara, Tigray, and Somali have been registered digitally.
Last week, the agency and the Ethiopian Government made a joint plea for immediate funding to address the increasing hunger in the northern region.
As of now, over six million individuals are currently receiving both food and money in impacted regions. However, OCHA cautioned that there are still significant discrepancies that need to be addressed.
After restarting food distribution in the beginning of December, WFP has successfully provided food to 1.2 million individuals in those areas. The goal is to reach three million people in the following weeks, with nearly two million of them being in Tigray.
The agency requires an immediate $142 million to replenish their scarce food supplies in the country. This will allow them to continue providing aid to the most vulnerable individuals until June 2024 and effectively address the widespread drought.
Mr. Nikoi stated that if WFP does not receive extra funding, they will be forced to stop providing food to refugees in April.
Kids in the Bokolmayo refugee camp in Ethiopia’s Somali region are once again receiving porridge as part of renewed food aid for refugees.
Collaborating to provide nourishment for millions and strengthen their ability to withstand challenges.
The latest evaluation conducted by the Ethiopian government estimates that 15.8 million individuals will experience food insecurity in 2024 and will require aid. This includes over four million displaced individuals and 7.2 million people with severe levels of acute food insecurity who will need urgent assistance.
The main objective is to offer food aid to 40% of the 7.2 million people, if the necessary resources are accessible. The remaining individuals will be supported by the government and other partners, according to WFP’s statement.
The agency’s main focus is shifting from providing emergency aid to implementing resilience initiatives in their response efforts.
In order to achieve this goal, WFP’s objective is to assist 1.4 million individuals by 2024 through initiatives that enhance their means of living and food production in Ethiopia. This includes implementing projects for water harvesting, land irrigation, and market accessibility, as well as offering instruction on agricultural techniques and technologies to reduce post-harvest losses.
Discover more about the assistance WFP is providing in Ethiopia by clicking here.
Source: news.un.org
