Reviwing and Projecting the Humanitarian Response in the Horn

April 2008
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Humanitarian Requirements for 2008

Table of Contents

Page
Acronyms/Glossary 2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
1. REVIEW OF THE 2007 HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE 4
1.1 Humanitarian Situation Highlight in 2007 4
1.2 Review of Response to the 2007 Joint Humanitarian Appeal 4
1.2.1 Relief food 4
1.2.2 Health and Nutrition 7
1.2.3 Water and Environmental Sanitation (WES) 7
1.2.5 Coordination and Disaster Preparedness 7
1.3 Lessons Learned from the 2007 Relief Operation 8
2. HUMANITARTIAN REQUIREMENTS FOR 2008 9
2.1 Ongoing Relief Activities 9
2.1.1 Relief food 10
2.1.2 Emergency water supply and sanitation 10
2.1.3 Emergency agriculture and livestock 11
2.2 Relief Food Needs 11
2.2.1 Needs assessment process 11
2.2.2 Objectives 12
2.2.3 Requirements 12
2.2.4 Sector coordination, implementation approach and monitoring 13
2.3 Non Food Needs 13
2.3.1 Health and Nutrition 13
2.3.1.1 Objectives 13
2.3.1.2 Requirements 14
2.3.1.3 Sector coordination, implementation approach and monitoring 15
2.3.2 Water and Environmental Sanitation 16
2.3.2.1 Objective 16
2.3.2.2 Requirements 16
2.3.2.3 Sector coordination, implementation approach and monitoring 16
2.3.3 Agriculture and Livestock 17
2.3.3.1 Objectives 17
2.3.3.2 Requirements 17
2.3.3.3 Sector coordination, implementation approach and monitoring 18
3. STRATEGIES FOR 2008 HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE 18
3.1 Strategy for Relief Food Response 18
3.1.1 Geographic Areas and Targeting 18
3.1.2 Relief Food Allocation and Distribution 18
3.1.3 Resource Accessibility 19
3.1.4 Linkage with Productive Safety Net Program 19
3.2 Strategy for Non-food Response 19
3.3 Cross-cutting Issues 20
3.3.1 HIV/AIDS 20
3.3.2 Gender and child protection 20
3.3.3 Education 21
3.3.4 Psycho-social support 21
3.4 Overall Implementation Approach (Coordination, Monitoring and Reporting) 21
Annexes 23-24
2

Acronyms /Glossary

AFD Action for Development IRC International Red
Cross
AHI Avian Human Influenza (AHI) ITNs Insecticide-treated Nets
ARP Annual Relief Plan LPDA Liben Pastoralist Development
Association
AWD Acute Watery Diarrhoea M/BoARD Ministry/Bureau of Agriculture and
Rural Development
Belg Short rain season from March to May
(in highland and mid-land areas)
Meher Long and heavy rain season usually
from June to September (in highland
and mid-land areas)
BSF Blended Supplementary Food NDPPC National Disaster Prevention and
Preparedness Committee
CARE CARE/Ethiopia NDPPF National Disaster Prevention and
Preparedness Fund
CBC Case-by-Case Approach NCA Norwegian Church Aid
CERF Central Emergency Response Fund NGOs Non- Governmental Organisations
COOPI Cooperazione International NMA National Meteorology Agency
CTC Community Therapeutic Centre OCHA Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (UN)
Deyr Short rain season from October to December (in
Somali Region)

PRP Preparedness and Response Plan
DPPA Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency PSNP Productive Safety Net Programme
EFSR Emergency Food Security Reserve RUTF Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food
EHNTF Emergency Health and Nutrition Task Force Region The higher administrative structure,

embracing zones and woredas
ENCU Emergency Nutrition Coordination Unit RVF Rift Valley Fever
Enset

A root plant with wide leaves like banana,
also called ‘false banana’, common in southern and
western
SAM Severe Acute Malnutrition
EOS/TSF

Extended Outreach Strategy/Targeted
Supplementary Feeding
SDMT Strategic Disaster Management Team
EWS Early Warning System SOS Save Our Souls
FDPs Food Distribution Points SNNPR Southern Nations, Nationalities &
Peoples Region

F/MoH Federal/Ministry of Health SPHERE Humanitarian Charter and Minimum
Standards in
Disaster Response
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization (UN)
Gu Main rain season from March to June (in Somali
Region)

Hagaya Short rain season from September to November
(Borena, Konso, and South Omo)
UN United Nations
HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome
UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund
UNDP United Nations Development

Programme

HEA Household Economy Approach WFP World Food Programme
HNEs Health and Nutrition Emergencies Woreda Administrative/geographic unit,
equivalent to district

HRF Humanitarian Response Fund WHO World Health Organiztion (WHO)
IC Information Centre IOM International Organization for
Migration
3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Results of the 2007 meher seasonal assessment anticipated an overall improved food security situation in 2008.

Nevertheless, failure of deyr/hageya rains in most pastoral areas of Somali Region and Borena zone in Oromia

Region, followed by poor-to-very poor belg/ganna rains resulted in extreme food insecurity in the south and south

eastern pastoral and agro pastoral areas of the country. According to the National Meteorology Agency (NMA)

forecast, the performance of rains is anticipated to be low (below average) in some parts of the country until May 2008.

The low performance of the rains is forecasted to affect the belg crop producing areas of the country in the northeastern highlands, central and southern parts of Tigray, Amhara, SNNP regions. Belg planting has delayed in these areas, which is anticipated to result in poor or failed belg production in July/August.


Approximately 2.18 million people identified through the 2007 meher and through the recent rapid assessments and special situation reports from the drought affected areas of Somali, SNNP, Tigray and Oromia Regions are anticipated to require emergency food assistance. The majority of the beneficiaries are in Somali
Region.

This year’s emergency situation is associated to unfavorable weather situation in the country, which is, by and large, related to the prevailing global climate change. The total food aid requirement for these beneficiaries is estimated at about 171,646 MT.

Additionally, an estimated 947,380 emergency beneficiaries in safety net areas are expected to be addressed through the existing safety net contingency resources. Nevertheless, emergency nutritional requirements in the safety net areas, amounting to 5,968 MT, will be covered through emergency relief resources as the existing
safety net food resources contain only cereal, pulses and edible oil and not blended foods.

For the non-food sector- Health and Nutrition, Water and Sanitation, and Agriculture– emergency requirements in this Relief Requirement Plan are set with particular emphasis to address the adverse impacts of the prevailing drought conditions in different parts of the country for three months duration.

As the year progresses, any unanticipated emergencies will be captured through the regular National Early Warning System as well as in the forthcoming countrywide belg/gu impact assessments. Therefore, depending on the findings, necessary adjustments would be made and specific contingency plans or, if the need arises, specific flash appeals, would be prepared to ensure that effective and timely preparedness and response measures are taken.

A total of net USD 67,737,459 is required to implement the humanitarian response plan in the year as per the following summary by sector. (Breakdowns are provided on the Tables, under section 2.)

Table 1: Summary of the 2008 Humanitarian Assistance Requirement (in USD)
Sector Total
Requirements
Available
Resources
Net
Requirements

General Ration: gross 177,614 MT∗; available 137,106 MT; and
net 41,684 MT (grain 30,950 and blended food 10,319 and oil 415)
86,283,290 67,987,955 19,214,615**
Supplementary Food for EOS/TSF: gross 12,285 MT 13,723, 261 13,723, 261
Food Sub-total 100,006,551 67,987,955 32,937,876
Health and Nutrition 26,557,478 1,012,755 25, 544, 723
Water and Sanitation 5,063050 1,661,696 3,401,354
Agriculture 7,131,756 1,278,250 5,853,506
Non-food Sub-total 38,752,284 3,952,701 34,799,583
Grand Total 138,758,835 71,940,656 67,737,459
∗ Includes 5,968 MT of blended food needed for emergency beneficiaries in safety net woredas.
**Indicates the value of 41,684MT of grain, blended food and oil.
4
1. REVIEW OF THE 2007 HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

1.1 Humanitarian Situation Highlight in 2007
The 2006 joint Government-humanitarian partners’ seasonal assessments in cropping and pastoral areas,
which estimated emergency food requirements in 2007, indicated vast improvement in the food security prospects. Nevertheless, approximately 1.36 million people were identified to require emergency food
assistance mostly from Somali Region and pocket areas of Oromia, SNNP, Amhara and Gambella regions due to cumulative effects of weather calamites.
The total food aid requirement for the identified 1.36 million emergency beneficiaries was estimated at
150,580 MT. The relief beneficiary figure was further revised based on the belg season assessment
conducted in June 2007. With the improvement of the belg performance in most parts of the country,
apart from pockets of pastoral and agro-pastoral areas in Eastern and Southeastern Ethiopia, there was a
significant decrease in the number of relief beneficiaries during the second half of the year.
Nevertheless, the relief food requirement was further revised during the fourth quarter of the year due to
the deteriorating food security situation in Somali Region. Based on the findings of the UN mission led
by the Humanitarian Coordinator, the number of relief food beneficiaries in the region was further
increased to 950,000 from the initial 48,000 (belg/gu 2007 results), which raised the total relief food
requirement to 208,760 MT.
Though incomparable with that of 2006, flooding incidences occurred in Gambella, Amhara, SNNPR,
Tigray, Afar and Oromia regions in 2007. To avert the problem, enhanced flood prevention and
preparedness measures were undertaken, including a Flood Alert and a Nationwide Flood Contingency
Plan, aimed at mitigating the adverse impacts. Despite these measures, however, a number of people
were affected in different ways.
Especially in the beginning of the year, there were reported cases of AWD in some localized areas of
most regions. However, thanks to the unified efforts of the government and partners, the cases went on
decreasing in the course of the year.
Moreover, desert locust infestation took place in southern and south eastern parts of the country during
the fourth quarter of the year. The swarms were, however, brought under control before causing
considerable damage. Unidentified camel disease was also reported to have occurred in some pastoral
areas and the necessary measures were taken to subdue the incidence.
1.2 Review of Response to the 2007 Joint Humanitarian Appeal
1.2.1 Relief Food
At the beginning of 2007, the Government, in consultation with its humanitarian partners, introduced a
new approach in the way emergency relief resources are allocated to ‘affected’ areas; it is called Caseby-
Case and Area-by-Area (CBC) approach. In the previous years, food aid used to be allocated based
solely on Government and humanitarian partners joint annual appeal, which estimates annual emergency
relief resource needs based on seasonal assessments. An annual relief plan (ARP) was drawn based on
the amount of relief resources shown on the Appeal, on the basis of which relief food was simply
allocated and dispatched to the regions on a monthly basis.
5
The major shortcoming noted in the traditional process was that dispatch of food aid was undertaken
based on the initial estimate, without confirming changing situations and actual needs on the ground.
Also, the fact that certain areas (regions/woredas) were included in the APR gave an implication that
these areas are entitled to receive the monthly relief ration.
Contrary to the traditional process, the new approach uses the results of the preceding year’s meher and
pastoral area seasonal assessments as a broad national estimate of emergency food aid requirements for
planning and resource mobilization purposes. Specific acute needs are determined based on verification
assessments. Upon the occurrence of adverse triggering conditions, woreda officials send relief
assistance requests to their regional authorities. Regions, in turn, either forward the requests directly to
the federal DPPA or deploy a technical team to the reportedly affected areas to verify the situation.
Upon receiving alert report or emergency assistance request from the concerned region, DPPA initiates a
joint rapid verification assessment in the reported hotspot areas. On the basis of the findings of the
verification assessment decisions are made on appropriate intervention measures to be taken including
relief resource allocation and close monitoring of the situation.
Thus, unlike the previous years, all relief food responses in 2007 (except in Somali Region) were
effected using this new approach. Emergency beneficiaries in PSNP woredas were also identified and
addressed using the new approach through the 20 percent contingency component of the existing safety
net resources. To ensure appropriate implementation of the approach, a guideline was developed and
disseminated to the regions.
In the process of implementation of the new approach, flexibility was applied in order to ensure quick
response and avoid risks of loss of life. In the case of rapid-onset emergencies such as floods and
conflicts, a one-month relief food ration was sent to the ‘affected’ areas upon request from regions while
simultaneously deploying a rapid assessment team for verification. The CBC approach was not applied
in allocating relief food aid to Somali Region during the major humanitarian operation in the fourth
quarter of the year.
As can be realized, the new approach ensured verification of needs prior to resource allocation and
enabled resources destined only to the needy areas, resulting in better utilization of scarce relief
resources (see Table 2 below). However, as the approach is a new initiative, there were some challenges
faced in ensuring rapid responses in limited cases. There were also some practical problems encountered
in the implementation process such as shortage of vehicles for the recurrent case-by-case and area-byarea
assessments.
Increased number of verification assessments, particularly with requests to undertake verification of
needs for using the contingency safety net resources in PSNP woredas, in addition to verifying needs for
emergency resources, was felt to overstretch the capacity of relief operators, reportedly resulting in
assessment fatigue and reduced participation of the non-government partners. However, while it is
understood that more has to be done in order to refine the implementation process and hence avoid
potential delays in relief response, the overall assessment of the achievement of the new approach is
quite encouraging and positive.
As indicated in Table 2 below, the total relief food distribution during the year accounts only for 31
percent (65,221 MT) of the total estimated requirement for the year – approximately 208,760 MT.
6
Table 2: 2007 Beneficiaries, Food Aid Requirements and Distributions by Quarter
Description January-
March
April-
June
July-
September
October-
December
Janua
ry-
Decem
ber
Beneficiary
in million
(quarterly
average)
0.86 1.36 0.58 1.04 0.96
Requirement
(MT) 46,785 72,516 31,503 57,960 208,76
4
Distributed
(MT) 2,036 10,750 21,335 31,100 65,221
*
Coverage
(%) 4.4 14.8 67.7 54 31
*Distributed using the new case-by-case approach, with verification (except in the case of Somali Region).
About 10 percent of the distribution in the second and third quarters of the year involved fast onset
emergencies related to flooding and conflicts in some parts of the country; while, more than 93 percent
of the fourth quarter distribution was destined to the relief operation in Somali Region, mainly in Fik,
Gode, Korahe, Degehabur and Warder zones.
Related to relief delivery in Somali Region, a military escorting system was put in place during the
fourth quarter with a view to facilitating the movement of relief trucks which indeed ensured safer
delivery of food assistance to the affected people. However, despite the measures taken, there were still
some cases of delays reported in the movement of relief food to the delivery points.
According to WFP, as part of the Enhanced Outreach Strategy, approximately 58,823 MT blended food
was supplied to about 1,152,480 identified beneficiaries (368,794 pregnant/lactating women and
783,687 under five children1) through the Targeted Supplementary Food program (TSF) in 264
chronically food insecure woredas. The TSF performance study carried out in three regions in
July/August 2007 covering 903 children showed that 61.4 percent recovered, while 2.3 percent
defaulted. The mortality rate was 1.7 percent with all child deaths occurring between the identification
and the first food distribution, indicating that timely food supplementation has life saving potential for
malnourished children.
1 The reason for discrepancy in the EOS and TSF figures is linked to the data reporting between Federal Ministry of Health and the DPPBs
due to different data sources as well as TSF beneficiary counting excluding double-counting of an individual receiving food twice in the
same year. The actual exclusion rate (identified beneficiaries not receiving TSF) was assessed in the 2007 TSF Performance Study to be
2%. A joint registration book will be used by the EOS screening teams in 2008 in order to have one data source for provision of figures for
EOS and TSF in the effort to address beneficiary number discrepancies in 2007.
7
1.2.2 Health and Nutrition
The 2007 Appeal sought US$ 83.7 million in order to minimize human suffering and save lives by
ensuring prompt and adequate response to the major health and nutrition emergencies (HNEs).
The FMoH in collaboration with partners undertook various emergency health and nutrition
interventions during the year. According to figures from DPPA, US$ 12,545,004 was secured from
donors.
Measles outbreaks were reported in various parts of the country in 2007. Although, emergency response
measures were undertaken, the outbreak extended to 2008.
Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) epidemic that begun in 2006 continued in 2007. The FMoH in
collaboration with partners closely worked with the regional health bureaus to respond to the epidemic.
With the concerted efforts made, the number of reported cases declined over the course of the year and
no cases were reported during the third week of December 2007. Continued effort is, however, required
to sustain the level of control and prevent the recurrence of the disease during the current dry season as
well as the upcoming rainy season.
In 2007, like in the previous years, the ENCU provided technical expertise related to nutrition issues and
oversee quality control of nutritional assessments.
As part of emergency response in Somali Region, five mobile health teams were deployed in November
and December 2007 to carry out and facilitate health and nutrition emergency interventions in the
Region.
1.2.3 Water and Environmental Sanitation (WES)
A total of US$ 19.1 million was called for in the 2007 Humanitarian Appeal for WES sector to address
3.5 million people that were estimated to be in need of water and sanitation services. The prevalence of
AWD in some areas and flooding in Gambella, Afar, Amhara and Somali regions were major hazards
related to the sector in the year. According to MoWR, donors have contributed US$ 7.7 million (Annex
I) addressing about 40.3 percent of the requirement for the sector. Response to the AWD hazard,
however, was in excess of the requested amount.
More than 1.5 million people were addressed through emergency water supply schemes and more than
two million people received sanitation and hygiene education messages in Oromyia, SNNR, Amhara,
Afar, Tigray and Somali regions.
The 2007 response focused on rehabilitation and maintenance of non-functional water schemes in
affected villages, health centers and schools. In addition, a considerable life saving emergency WASH
interventions were undertaken through provision of water purification chemicals, on site water treatment
with EmWAT Kits, provision of household water containers/jerry cans, distribution of plastic squatting
slabs as well as body and laundry soaps and hygiene promotional materials in areas affected by AWD,
flooding and in resettlement sites. Construction of new water schemes however, was not undertaken in
2007 apart from in critically affected parts of SNNP, Tigray, Amhara, Oromia and Somali regions.
1.2.5 Coordination and Disaster Preparedness
Disaster preparedness/capacity strengthening: The 2007 Humanitarian Appeal requested US$5.6
million to address disaster preparedness/capacity strengthening needs, namely: improving stock-tracking
8
management and monitoring system and maintaining stock quality and pest control activities of the
EFSRA; developing information technology and connectivity of the NDPPF; purchasing vehicles and
communication equipment for sector capacity strengthening; supporting DPPA Information Center to
implement the pilot regional connectivity project; and strengthen the coordination capacity of
Emergency Sectoral Taskforces. However, apart from USAID’s contribution of boats, plastic sheets,
blankets, and life jackets worth US$ 825,354 (14.7%), no other resource was secured in response to the
above mentioned important needs related to disaster preparedness and response capacity enhancement.
Overall coordination: At the federal level, the DPPA and Sector Taskforces (STF) led by relevant line
ministries have played major roles in coordinating both assessments and responses with support from
UN agencies. These taskforces provide important fora at which donors, NGOs and UN organizations
share information and plan/work with responsible government institutions.
In line with UN Humanitarian Reform, the establishment of the Cluster Approach under the direction of
the Humanitarian Coordinator in May 2007 assisted in better organizing humanitarian partners to
provide more systematic support in enhancing Government-led Sectoral Taskforces at the federal and
regional levels. The UN cluster leadership approach aims to clarify sectoral roles and responsibilities of
UN agencies in humanitarian undertakings. As part of the effort to enhance coordination, participation in
the sectoral taskforces is a requirement for obtaining the Humanitarian Response Fund (HRF). The
Cluster Leads also identify priorities to be funded by Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in
consultation with the concerned sectoral taskforce.
An enhanced cooperative arrangement between government, UN, donors and NGOs was crucial to
ensure proper implementation of the new approach (CBC). Two technical committees were established
by the Early Warning Working Group namely the Monitoring and Methodology Subgroups to support
the implementation of the new CBC approach by closely monitoring the food security situation across
the country and facilitating verification assessments including the development of verification
assessment tools.
Based on lessons drawn from the 2006 nationwide flooding predicaments, efforts were placed in 2007 to
enhance preparedness and mitigation measures. Regional and woreda level sectoral taskforces as well as
regional emergency coordination forums were reactivated in some flood prone areas based on a flood
alert issued by Early Warning Working Group (EWWG).
Moreover, in support of joint Government and UN relief operation, two temporary offices were
established at Kebridehar and Degehabur towns of Somali Region to facilitate and effectively address
emergency sectoral needs and activities underway in Fik, Gode, Korahe, Degehabur and Warder Zones
of the Region.
1.3 Lessons Learned from the 2007 Relief Operation
The severe impacts of the 2006 floods underpinned the need for a comprehensive disaster risk
management and better preparedness for all, particularly for fast on-set, emergencies. In this regard,
prevention and preparedness measures were undertaken in 2007 including a nationwide flood alert and
flood contingency plan, which largely mitigated the severe impacts of flooding in various areas.
The CBC approach for relief resource allocation, introduced at the beginning of the year, ensured better
targeting and effective utilization of relief resources. Despite the above noted improvements with the
new approach, some challenges were, however, encountered in its implementation including delay in
undertaking verification assessments that led to delay in response in some cases. Limited capacity at
9
regional and woreda levels contributed to delay in the timely notification of early warning information.
The frequency of verification assessment, particularly with the request to confirm relief needs for the
utilization of contingency resources in PSNP woredas, in addition to verifying needs for the utilization
of emergency resources, overstretched the capacity of humanitarian actors resulting in assessment
fatigue and poor participation of the non-government partners.
Continued efforts should be put in place to further enhance/facilitate the verification assessment process
as well as to strengthen early warning capacity at all levels. In this regard, in regions having better
capacities, a workable arrangement needs to be designed whereby they are able to undertake their own
assessments and take or propose appropriate response measures based on objective findings and needs.
Regular monitoring information should also be used effectively to facilitate responses.
Enhanced efforts should also be exerted to strengthen sectoral early warning mechanisms and
contingency planning to facilitate timely and effective response against all forms of hazards.
During the year, the ENCU provided technical support to regional ENCUs of Amhara, Oromia, SNNP
and Tigray to enhance coordination of nutrition information and develop the capacity to manage
nutritional assessments in the regions.
Strengthening inter-sectoral coordination between ENCU and the EHNTF, WASH, Agriculture and
Food sectors is important to further enhance emergency nutrition response through proper use of early
warning, food security and nutrition information. With the introduction of emergency cluster approach
that provides support to both federal and regional ENCUs, emergency nutrition response is expected to
be better coordinated among all partners in 2008.
2. HUMANITERIAN REQUIREMENTS FOR 2008
2.1 Ongoing Relief Activities
Associated to the impact of the overall climate change hovering around the globe, the previous two
consecutive rainy seasons in Somali Region (namely gu, longer season, which normally runs from April-
June, and deyr, shorter season, which lasts from mid April to mid December) failed, severely affecting
the availability of both pasture and water. This, in turn, has caused the decline of livestock as well as
crop performance, and hence in dire food and water shortage for the people as well as animals.
Likewise, Borena and Guji Zones of Oromia Region have also been in a state of critical water, pasture
and food shortages resulting from the prevalence of severe moisture stress associated to the failures of
the last gana and hagaya rainy seasons∗ in the zones.
Moreover, many areas in SNNP Region received very poor sapien rains that are normally expected in
November/December, followed by poor March-April belg rains, the combined effect of which has
brought about prolonged dry spell and the failure of root, leguminous and horticultural crops (including
sweet potato, Irish potato, Enset, haricot bean, sward bean, etc), that communities traditionally use to
bridge their food needs between belg and meher rains. As a result, areas that are heavily dependent on
∗What are called gu and deyr in Somali Region are respectively named as gana and hagaya in Borana and Guji zones, which
share similar agro-ecologic and socio-economic conditions with the neighbouring Somali Region.
ε The relief operations have been underway in Somali Region since October 2007, in Borena since February 2008 and in
SNNPR since March 2008.
10
these crops have, at the moment, faced serious food shortage problems. The areas most affected by the
failure of the sapien and belg rains in SNNPR include Awassa Zuria, Boricha and Loke Abaya woredas
in Sidama Zone; other woredas in Wolayita, Hadiya and South Omo Zones; and also Burji, Amaro and
Alaba Special woredas.
Therefore, to avert the critical moisture deficiency situations prevailing in the above mentioned areas,
the Government together with other humanitarian partners have launched coordinated response
measuresε consisting of different forms of relief interventions. Some of the major undertakings
underway are cited as follows.
2.1.1 Relief Food
A total of 25,577 MT food items have been delivered to Somali, Oromia and SNNP regions. Out of
which a total of 10,097 MT was distributed to different woredas in Gode, Degehabur, Warder, Afder and
Liben Zones of Somali Region in January and February. In Borena zone of Oromia Region, 3,269 MT
has been distributed to 88,000 beneficiaries in February and March; and 1,531 MT dispatched for March
distribution to different zones in the region. Additionally, a total of 10,680 MT has been allocated to
affected woredas in SNNPR and dispatch is underway.
2.1.2 Emergency Water Supply and Sanitation
Government’s current emergency water interventions in the drought affected areas of Somali, Oromia
and SNNP regions include:
Table 3: Ongoing Water supply and sanitation responses
Region Intervention Cost
(USD)
Implementing
Organization
Somali Maintenance/rehabilitation of
water supply schemes
26,058 MoWR
Supply of
equipment/materials: 3
submersible pumps, 2
generators, 120,000 sachets of
water purification chemicals
19,251 MoWR
Supply of miscellaneous spare
parts for maintenance and
rehabilitation of
malfunctioning water supply
pumps/generators
12,978 MoWR
Provision of water ration for
Filtu and Hargele towns and
surrounding kebeles.
NA MoWR
Technical support: Two
crews dispatched to the
Region for water well drilling
in Afder and Liben zones.
NA MoWR
Disbursement of fund for
water trucking
10,695 MoWR
201,390 Regional Government
Distributed two water trucks NA DPPA
A total of 33 water trucks
deployed
NA UNICEF and NGOs
Oromiya A total of 65 motorized deep NA RWB
11
(Borena,
Guji, East
Hararghe
and Bale
zones)
water wells, 68 shallow wells
fitted with hand pumps, and 4
solar driven wells have been
maintained
A total of 12 submersible
pumps, 7 generators and 100
hand pumps for maintenance
and rehabilitation of defunct
water supply schemes.
127,200 MoWR
Water rationing by deploying
11 trucks
76,898 RWB
Water rationing in Borena and
Guji zones using 3 trucks
NA DPPA
Two trucks for water rationing
in East Hararghe
NA Harai region and
Aweday woreda
administrations
provided
A total of 30 trucks for water
rationing in Borena (21), East
Hararghe (5), and Guji (4)
zones.
NA NGOs (including AFD,
IRC, Goal, CARE,
NCA, COOPI, SOS and
LPDA)
A total of 3 trucks for water
rationing
NA Communities in Borena
SNNP Two submersible pumps 3,646 MoWR
Maintenance and
rehabilitation of
malfunctioning water supply
schemes
345,682 RWB
Nine water trucks for
rationing
NA Various government
agencies2
Five water trucks NA IRC (four) and GOAL
(one)
2.1.3 Emergency Agriculture and Livestock3
In response to the drought emergency in Oromia Region, a total of 112,088 bales of fodder and 851.1
MT of concentrate have been supplied to 12,227 cattle in Borena and Guji Zones at 19 centers by
different agencies including Pastoral Development Commission of the Region (36,855 bales), CARE
(38,826 bales plus 361 MT), SC-USA (33,227 bales plus 274.1 MT), and FAO (3,180 bales and 220
MT). In Somali Region, SC-USA also delivered 4,087 bales of fodder and 43.7 MT of concentrate to
Moyale woreda in Liben Zone.
2.2 Relief Food Needs for 2008
2.2.1 Needs assessment process
The seasonal countrywide food situation assessment in December 2007 that generally identified
emergency food requirements for 2008 was conducted using both the household economy approach
2 Including: regional water bureau (3); DPPA, Awassa town municipality; regional road authority; regional DPFS; Sidama
zone health office; Sidama zone education office (one each
3 It is worth noting here that the listed ongoing relief activities may not be exhaustive or complete as information/reports
obtained from fields may not capture or encompass all activities carried out by all actors involved in the relief operations.
12
(HEA) and the traditional methodologies. The HEA was used in Somali, Afar, Tigray and SNNP while
the traditional approach was used in the remaining regions, apart from Amhara where the combination
of the two approaches was used.
Additionally, special situation reports from Somali, SNNP, Tigray and Oromia Regions, that have come
after the issuance of the December annual assessment report, have been used to make the necessary
adjustment on the number of needy population and the amount of relief requirements.
The meher and the subsequent belg/pastoral area seasonal assessments, which are the basis for the
estimation of humanitarian needs, have indicated unfavorable weather conditions to occur in many parts
of the country. The field assessments as well as meteorological forecasts, particularly for belg season,
have indicated late and poor or below-normal rainfall in the belg-dependant areas. This adverse weather
anomaly is, to a large extent, related to the prevailing global climate change that is threatening most
regions of the world including Sub-Saharan Africa, to which Ethiopia is a part.
2.2.2 Objectives
The main objectives of emergency food interventions proposed for 2008 are to save lives by availing
general ration, protect livelihoods and enhance resiliency to shocks, as well as address acute nutritional
and health needs of especially at-risk groups including children, mothers and other vulnerable people.
2.2.3 Requirements
Approximately, 2, 181,467 people are estimated to require emergency food assistance in 2008. The total
food aid requirement for these beneficiaries stands at about 171,646 MT (139,395 grain, 4,181 oil,
13,940 pulses, and 14,130 blended foods).
Table 4: Beneficiaries and Relief Food Requirement Estimate by Region
Region Beneficiaries Food Requirement (MT)
Somali 1,020,820 75,644
SNNPR 523,143 39,145
Oromia 543,624 47,845
Gambella 66,500 6,587
Benshangul 10,700 1,189
Tigray 16,680 1,236
Total 2,181,467 171,646
Moreover, additional 947,383 emergency beneficiaries in safety net areas are expected to be addressed
through the existing safety net resources. Nevertheless, as mentioned in the above section, emergency
nutritional (blended food) requirement in the safety net woredas has to be covered through emergency
relief resources. The supplementary food requirement in the safety net areas is estimated at 5,968 MT.
This brings the total relief food requirement to 177,614 MT.
The carry over emergency stock and confirmed pledges are estimated at 137,106 MT (grain 108,445, oil
3,766, pulses 15,116 and blended food 9,779) which gives a net requirement of 41,684 MT (grain
30,950 and blended food 10,319 and oil 415), approximately valued at US$ 19,214,615.
Emergency food aid needs will be covered with the standard food basket, comprising of (in
kg/person/month) 15 kg cereals, 1.5 kg pulses and 0.45 kg vegetable oil. The planned supplementary
ration for distributions to particularly vulnerable groups identified by the community consists of 4.5 kg
of Corn Soya Blend (CSB). The general ration provides approximately 2,100 kcal/person/day, whilst
the supplementary ration 570 kcal/person/day.
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Targeted Supplementary Food (TSF) is designed to address moderately malnourished under five
children and pregnant/lactating women intended to contribute to enhance child survival (reduced
mortality) rate. Approximately 13,285 MT of nutritious food is required for the two rounds of TSF
response, which costs approximately US$ 13.7 million.
Table 5: TSF requirements for two rounds
2.2.4 Sector coordination, implementation approach and monitoring
Implementation of food aid relief programmes is for the majority of woredas undertaken by federal,
regional and woreda level DPPA officials, and by NGOs concerned in their respective areas of
operation. All partners have put in place systems for monitoring that the relief assistance is reaching the
intended beneficiaries.
Monitoring of food dispatches from port to warehouse and distribution site will be carried out through
the WFP/DPPA commodity tracking system, including comparison between allocations against
requirements and allocations against dispatches for all partners (bilateral, NGOs and WFP). Relief
agencies also monitor arrivals of food at woreda level, quantity of relief food distributed against planned
and stock levels at distribution points.
Coordination: At the federal level, the Food Aid Taskforce serves as the main coordination body for
relief food aid operations, and is also performing the task of cluster coordination for the food aid sector.
The task force meets monthly or more frequently if the situation requires. At regional level, coordination
is assured in similar fora established by the regional DPPBs.
2.3 Non-food Needs
2.3.1 Health and Nutrition
This emergency Health and Nutrition response plan is prepared to address population at risk of Health
and Nutrition Emergencies (HNEs) due to the prevailing drought conditions in parts of Somali Regional
State; Borena and Guji Zones of Oromia Regional State; and Sidama, Wolayita, Kembata-Tembaro and
South Omo Zones of SNNPR. Poor performance of seasonal rains resulted in shortage of water and food
supplies for both human and animal consumption in the above mentioned areas
2.3.1.1 Objectives
The overall objective is to minimize human suffering and avoid loss of lives by ensuring timely and
adequate response to major HNEs in the drought affected areas.
Region Number of
CU5 and
PLW
Blended
Food (MT)
Vegetable oil
[MT]
Total MT Net Requirement in
USD
Somali 47,218 1180 135 2,630
SNNP 162,630 4066 464 9, 060
Guji 12,494 312 36 696
Borena 16,114 403 46 898
Grand Total 238,456 5,961 681 13,285 13,723,261
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2.3.1.2 Requirements
Approximately US$ 25.5 million is required to address HNEs as outlined in the following paragraphs
and summarized in Table 6 below for the coming three months period.
Acute malnutrition: The Enhanced Outreach Strategy nutrition programme has been ongoing in the
drought affected woredas for the last four years. In 2007, 325 woredas were covered under the
programme. Nutritional survey results in drought affected areas indicated SAM 1% and GAM 19% in
Somali Region; SAM 2.20% and GAM 3.9% in Borena zone, Oromia Region; SAM 2.80% and GAM
7.20% in Guji zone, Oromia Region; and SAM 1.60% and GAM 5% in SNNPR. According to the EOS
report of MoH a total of 36,318 children were severely malnourished in these areas. Based on this,
40,000 sever acute malnutrition cases require monthly assistance.
Due emphasis has been given in this emergency plan for addressing sever acute malnutrition in drought
affected areas in the three regions mentioned above. Approximately 40,000 under malnourished children
are expected to be addressed in the coming three months. In addition, as an EOS package training of
health workers, procurement of anthropometric materials, therapeutic products, drugs and supplies
(antibiotics, anthihelmintics, and vitamin A supplementation) that requires US$ 15.7 million.
Measles: Since November 2007, measles outbreaks have been reported in Somali Region and Borena
and Guji zones of Oromia Region. The prevailing drought situation is anticipated to further exacerbate
the outbreak. Approximately 6.5 million under-fifteen children are planned to be addressed with at least
one dose of measles vaccination and 6.7 million under-five children with Vitamin A supplementation
and deworming.
Low coverage of routine measles immunization, large birth cohort and expected measles vaccination
failure contributed to increased number of measles cases. Furthermore, the routine measles vaccination
coverage is not uniform across the country, the quality of outbreak investigation is unsatisfactory, and
the response to the outbreak is not standardized. Such factors resulted in measles outbreaks, which are
anticipated to affect more areas in 2008. In order to prevent further spread of the prevailing measles
epidemic, and taking into account hazards that reduce the effectiveness of measles immunization such as
drought, flood and displacement, supplementary immunization activities need to be undertaken for
which approximately US$ 6 million is required. The routine EPI does not have funding to cover the
supplemental immunization activities. Furthermore, there is a need to shorten the interval between
follow up campaigns to two years from three years. In this regard, the Ministry of Health has started
implementing the second measles follow up campaign phase by phase since the fourth quarter of 2007.
Vaccinations campaigns were conducted in Afar region, East and West Hararghe zones of Oromia
Region in 2007 and Somali region in February/March 2008.
Malaria: The FMoH runs a Malaria Prevention and Control Programme that has been operating
successfully. Emerging epidemics are, therefore, planned to be addressed through the regular program.
Meningitis: Ethiopia is one of the countries lying in the ‘meningitis belt’, and has been susceptible to
meningitis epidemic since 1935. WHO has issued an alert for possible meningitis outbreak in 2008, on
the basis of which the country prepared a National Meningococcal Meningitis Preparedness and
Response Plan to HPN Donors. The funding requirement is not, therefore, included in this emergency
response plan.
Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) and other communicable diseases: In 2006 and 2007 AWD epidemic
had a protracted course, affecting the country. Although cases of AWD has not been reported from
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regions since December 2007, adequate preparedness is vital as shortage of water supply and possible
disruption of personal and communal hygiene might lead to the recurrence of the disease.
Other communicable diseases might occur in the current drought season, which requires adequate
preparedness by strengthening health service including re-stocking health facilities in the three drought
affected regions with Emergency Health kits and mobilizing mobile clinics /Mobile Health Team/ in
parts of Somali Region. In 2008 for the control and prevention of Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) and
other Communicable Diseases, a total of US$ 3.9 is required for provision of drugs/supplies, emergency
health kits and operational cost for the mobile clinics to address more than 5.6 million beneficiaries.
Strengthening health services in emergency settings: Health services are crucial in addressing potential
health problems in emergency situation. The deployment of mobile teams in parts of Somali Region to
address health and nutritional problems, re-stocking health facilities with emergency drugs and supplies
and providing training to health workers on emergency case management and coordination is part of this
response plan. Approximately US$ 498,000 is required to cover running cost of Mobile Health Teams in
Somali Region.
Hygiene and sanitation: Most preventable diseases are linked to low hygiene and sanitation coverage.
Enhancing hygiene and sanitary promotion and improving waste disposal system is, therefore, vital
component of this emergency response plan.
Table 6: Requirements for Responses to Health and Nutrition Emergencies
Intervention Areas
Beneficiary
Number
Requirement in
USD
Available
Fund from
CERF in
USD
Net
Requirement
Acute Malnutrition Management
EOS
40,000
15,735,843
1,012,755
14,723,088
258,800
Measles 6,660,656 6,000,000 6,000,000
Acute Watery Diarrhoea and Other
Communicable Diseases
3,946,508 3,946,508
Support for strengthening Emergency
Health Service:
• Mobile Health Team Running
Cost in Somali Region
498,000 498,000
• Emergency Health Kit 356,727 356,727
Hygiene and Sanitation 20,400 20,400
Total 26,557,478 1,012,755 25, 544, 723
Source: Proposal from MOH (HNE Taskforce)
2.3.1.3 Sector coordination, implementation approach and monitoring
The MoH and the Regional Health Bureaus will take the lead in the implementation of emergency health
and nutrition activities outlined in this Relief Requirement Plan. The federal emergency Health and
Nutrition Taskforce will provide technical assistance to the Ministry and will ensure linkages with the
regional taskforces. Close coordination between the ENCU and EHNTF is essential. NGOs and UN
partner agencies will work in close coordination with the MoH to avoid duplication of efforts and to
promote the flow of information between agencies. In addition, the MoH and the Health and Nutrition
Taskforce will monitor the response.
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2.3.2 Water and Environmental Sanitation
2.3.2.1 Objective
The main objective of the Emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene interventions is to reduce human
suffering due to water shortages caused by the present drought in Somali, SNNP, Oromia, Afar and
Amhara regions.
2.3.2.2 Requirement
In 2008, the WES sector requires an estimated net US$ 3.4 million (Table 7) to address emergency
water and sanitation requirements of approximately 1.9 million people in drought affected areas of
Somali; Borena, Guji, East Hararghe and lowlands of Bale in Oromia Region; Loka Abaya and Boricha
woredas in Sidama zone; Duguna Fango in Wolayita zone; Alaba Special woreda and some pocket areas
of in Gumer woreda in Gurage zone in SNNP; Waghamera woreda in Oromia zone, North and South
wollo zones of Amhara; and Elidar and parts of Dubti woredas in Afar regions. The requirement is for a
duration of three months.
To address the problem, water trucking, water purification and treatments with water purification
chemicals and EmWat kit, rehabilitation of schemes are identified by the regions as major interventions.
Table 7: Emergency Water and Environmental Sanitation Requirement (in USD)
Intervention Activities Somali Oromia SNNP Amhara Afar Total
Rehabilitation and maintenance
of existing schemes
249,305 548,983 449,872 154,011 53,476 1,455,647
Water trucking 1,236,043 493,983 479,733 0 53,476 2,263,235
Water purification and treatment 69,198 420,801 0 115,508 42,781 648,288
Support to community operation,
maintenance, and management of
water supplies
25,048 182,956 0 57,754 32,085 297,843
Assessment monitoring and
evaluation
75,145 91,478 0 38,503 21,390 226,516
Technical assistance (Federal and
Regional level)
50,097 91,478 0 19,251 10,695 171,521
TOTAL 1,704,836 1,829,679 929,605 385,027 213,903 5,063050
Available at regional level 270,372 230,836 3,646 0 0 504,854
CERF 1,156,842
Net/Gap 1,434,464 1,598,843 925,959 385,027 213,903 3,401,354
Source: Proposal from MoWR (WES Taskforce)
2.3.2.3 Sector coordination, implementation approach and monitoring
At federal level, the Ministry of Water Resources, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, is the core
institution responsible for management of the planned emergency WASH response interventions. The
existing Emergency Water and Environmental Sanitation Taskforce at federal level and the revitalized
taskforces in some regions supported by the cluster leads are expected continue to play key coordination
role in 2008. Moreover, reactivation of the WASH Taskforces in regions where they are non-existent
and strengthening of the revitalized ones is also crucial. Regular exchange of information between the
various WASH Taskforces will be strengthened. Efforts will continue to set up institutional structures
by creating permanent emergency WASH management offices mainly at regional levels.
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2.3.3 Agriculture and Livestock
2.3.3.1 Objective
The overall objectives of the 2008 emergency agriculture response plan is to protect the livelihoods of at
risk households through coordinated and effective implementation of prioritised interventions in drought
affected areas of Somali, Oromia, SNNP, Amhara and Afar regions.
2.3.3.2 Requirement
A total of US$ 5.8 million is required to address prioritized emergency and recovery requirements in
crop and livestock sub-sectors in Somali, SNNP, Afar, Amhara and Oromia regions.
Table 8: Emergency Agriculture Requirement (USD)
Source: MoARD (Agriculture Taskforce)
Livestock sub-sector: In this sector animal feed, animal health and commercial destocking have been
prioritized as immediate requirements.
Animal feed: Shortage of pasture is anticipated for belg benefiting eastern parts of the country due to late
onset of belg rains. It is important to provide feed including hay and concentrates to protect at risk
breeding animals. An estimated US$ 3 million is required to address a total of 333,255 animals for one
month (Annex II).
Animal health: The primary purpose of the livestock relief intervention is to improve the immunity and
health of livestock through minimizing the effects of diseases induced by drought. Emergency animal
health intervention will mainly focus on prophylaxis and curative treatment since vaccinated and treated
animals are expected to better tolerate the impact of disaster and contribute more to household foodsecurity.
Vaccination will be administered before the animals are severely affected and lose their
immunity. Therefore, this particular intervention needs to be implemented only before the situation gets
deteriorated. A total of 2,717,749 livestock are targeted for vaccination and treatments against different
types of diseases and the budget required for the intervention is estimated at US$ 1.2 (Annex III).
Commercial de-stocking: Emergency de-stocking or intentional removal of at risk animals from severely
affected areas before their body condition deteriorated is very vital to minimize loss and hence increase
Program
Number of beneficiaries
Households animals Requirements USD
Animal feed 333,255 2,624,498
Animal health Service 2,717,749 1,040,185
Commercial de-stocking 79,027 54,358
Crop seed provision 200,611 2,690,946
Operational cost 721,769
Total 7,131,756
Available CERF 1,278,250
Net Requirement USD 5,853,506
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income of pastoralists and agro pastoralists. The income generated through commercial de-stocking will
also enable pastoralists to meet their food and other basic needs and consequently prevent them from
depleting their assets and engaging in negative copping strategies. Additionally, the intervention will
contribute to minimize pressure and competition over scarce pasture and water resources and therefore
allow protecting the breeding stocks. A total of 79,027 animals are targeted for this intervention and the
estimated cost to facilitate the commercial de-stocking is US$ 54,358 (Annex IV).
Crop sub-sector: Previous seasons poor harvest due to late onset, erratic distribution and overall
moisture stress conditions in some pocket areas and as forecasted by NMA below average belg rain in some
areas of the region will have direct impact on the type of crop to be planted and area to be covered. As a
result, critical shortage of seeds of short-cycle crops is anticipated and therefore supply of crop seeds
such as maize, sorghum, teff, barley and pulses to be very important to enable farmers and agropastoralists
to pursue crop production in the coming rainy seasons. The seed intervention targets a total
of 200,611 farming households in 149 disaster-affected and seed-insecure woredas. The total fund
required for the intervention is US$ 2.9 (Annex V).
2.3.3.3 Sector coordination, implementation approach and monitoring
The emergency interventions will be implemented by Regional/Woreda Agriculture and Rural
Development Bureau and/or Livestock, Crop and Natural Resource Development Bureau. Selection of
beneficiaries will also be the responsibility of the regional/woreda burueax and other implementing
agencies with active involvement of beneficiaries. MoARD will coordinate, monitor and provide the
necessary support for the smooth implementation of the plan. The overall coordination responsibility
rests on Emergency Agricultural Task Force. Humanitarian agencies are also expected to a greater role
in mobilizing resources and take part in the implementation of the plan. This emergency and recovery
plan is expected to be implemented during the coming three months.
3. STRATEGIES FOR 2008 HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
3.1 Strategy for Relief Food Response
3.1.1 Geographic areas and targeting
Targeting of emergency beneficiaries for general ration at household level will involve direct
participation of communities. Whereas, supplementary food is targeted to individuals identified as
malnourished through nutrition screening, or, where this is not feasible, to especially vulnerable or atrisk
groups, including children under-five, pregnant/nursing women and sick/elderly people also
selected by the communities.
3.1.2 Relief food allocation and distribution
Allocation and distribution of relief resources will be undertaken based on the CBC approach that
allocates emergency relief based on verification assessment upon request by the regional authorities
when communities experience shocks that needs humanitarian intervention. The new approach employs
two safety measures: The first one is that, based on the feedback of the verification team on the field,
emergency intervention supplies can immediately be dispatched without waiting for formal report from
the team. The second one is, in cases of unforeseen sudden occurrences that require immediate response,
a one-month relief resource will be dispatched to the affected regions to be followed by a verification
assessment.
Relief food distribution to eligible beneficiaries will follow the established principles and modalities,
where practicable. Accordingly, all able-bodied persons will receive general food in exchange for their
labour on certain community based works, while gratuitous relief will be provided to labour-poor and
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other very vulnerable beneficiary households, in addition to supplementary feeding supplies.
Supplementary feeding is basically intended to support joint efforts to address global acute malnutrition
(GAM) and mortality problems. The national nutrition strategy that has been recently launched is
expected to reduce the prevalence of acute malnutrition in vulnerable areas of the country.
3.1.3 Resource accessibility
Over the past years the Emergency Food Security Reserve Agency (EFSRA) has played an important
role as a source of relief food from where resources have been readily available against guarantee of
repayment. This function has allowed for rapid response to food crises, while waiting for consignments
to arrive into the country or local procurement to be undertaken. However, during the first quarter of
2008 it has become apparent that EFSRA stocks are at critically low level and unless significant
payments of outstanding loans are effected shortly.
Moreover, although Ethiopia has had successive seasons of good harvest, commodity prices, particularly
of cereals, has continued to rise when compared to prices two years ago. Many reasons have been
attributed to the inflation, which occurred simultaneously with the general increase in commodity prices
in the international markets and the inflation of prices for non-food items prevailing in the country.
Since 2006, the government of Ethiopia has also restricted export of cereals and local purchases by aid
agencies, in an attempt to control inflation of prices. Thus, the possibility for local purchase of cereals in
large quantity appears limited in the foreseeable future.
Taking into consideration the factors above, it is of utmost importance that resources are mobilized
timely in order to ensure availability of relief food stocks in-country to respond to the growing food
shortage in Ethiopia.
3.1.4 Linkage with Productive Safety Net Program
The meher seasonal assessments identified approximately 947,383 beneficiaries under safety net
programme require emergency food assistance in 2008. These emergency beneficiaries identified in
PSNP woredas will be addressed by utilizing 20 percent contingency funds. Emergency blended
supplementary foods (BSF) requirements will, however, be addressed through emergency relief
resources as the existing safety net food resources contain only cereal, pulses and edible oils.
In order to meet basic nutritional needs in the safety woredas, it is necessary to ensure the supply of
nutritionally adequate supplementary food to these areas.
3.2 Strategy for Non-food Response
3.2.1 Health and Nutrition
The implementation of health and nutrition emergency response in Ethiopia is conducted through
various strategies including the management of severe acute malnutrition, Enhanced Outreach
Strategy/Supplementary Feeding (EOS/SFC), comprehensive mobile teams, and strengthening of health
systems, using the Health Extension Program, re-stocking of health facilities, and improving the
capacities of human resources and overall emergency response planning management.
The MoH, in cooperation with the Regional Health Bureaus, will take the lead in the implementation of
emergency health and nutrition interventions. The federal emergency Health and Nutrition Taskforce
will provide technical assistance to the Ministry and will ensure linkages with the regional taskforces.
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3.2.2 Water and Environmental Sanitation
At the federal level, the Ministry of Water Resources, in collaboration with the FMoH, will remain as
the core institution responsible for the management of the planned WASH response, supported by Water
and Environmental Sanitation taskforces both at Federal and regional levels. Efforts will be placed to
establish/strengthen Zonal and Woreda level WASH taskforces to enhance on ground implementation
and information flow. At regional level, water trucking interventions are coordinated by DPPBs.
3.2.3 Strategy for addressing unanticipated emergencies in 2008
The multi-sectoral Early Warning Working Group (EWWG) as well as sectoral emergency taskforces
will continue to monitor hazards across the country and will alert Government and humanitarian partners
to ensure that timely measures are taken in order to effectively address potential humanitarian situations
that may appear in the course of the year. In such cases, to facilitate resource mobilization and enhance
response, contingency plans as well as flash appeals will be prepared as and when the need arises.
Meanwhile, mid year assessments, including mid-belg/gu, will also be used to update or revise the 2008
sectoral relief requirement response plans, if situations so demand.
3.3 Cross-cutting Issues
3.3.1 HIV/AIDS
The aim of including HIV/AIDS component in emergency interventions is to ensure that the emergency
response activities do not aggravate beneficiaries’ vulnerability to HIV infection, and to minimize the
impact of emergencies on the HIV/AIDS situation by providing minimum standards of prevention,
awareness, protection, care and support within the humanitarian response. To be effective, it is necessary
that such activities are appropriate for the specific needs, vulnerabilities and skills of different groups,
such as adolescents, young people, and women. Humanitarian partners operating in emergency areas
should link their activities with existing HIV/AIDS structures of the government at all levels.
3.3.2 Gender and child protection
Because gender is a key element in defining social attitudes, economic inequalities and division of
labour at family and community level, it both affects and is effected by people’s response to
humanitarian situations. The same applies to issues relating to children and adolescents, whose position
in their families and communities are seriously affected by humanitarian situations. Without bearing in
mind the specific needs of women, men, children and adolescents in these situations, interventions may
lead to inadequate or inappropriate responses.
Gender and child protection activities require that all actors are committed to conducting gender and age
disaggregated vulnerability assessments and analyses and then implementing and following up on
gender and age responsive programmes. This will require coordination and capacity development of
organisations working in humanitarian situations, which includes training in codes of conduct relating to
sexual exploitation and abuse. In addition and in line with the core legal instruments ratified by the
country, the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality should be central to the
responses undertaken so as to ensure adequate assistance and protection of the most vulnerable
community members to whom access should be facilitated. Five main areas should integrate gender and
child protection issues: registration, tracing and reunification; nutrition and food security; health and
reproductive health; protection and security; and participation of the affected people in decision-making
and implementation.
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3.3.3 Education
In emergency situations, education has often been a key intervention in ensuring a return to normalcy,
minimizing psychosocial stresses, and helping children continue to their schools. Emergency situations
often disrupt education, resulting in decreased school attendance, increased drop-out rates, teachers
migrating from their assigned school, and school closures as currently reported in some of the most
affected areas of Oromia and Somali Regions. Humanitarian interventions should, therefore, ensure that
a functioning primary school system is available in each affected area, with particular attention to
enrolled girls. Strategies to support education in this context include: setting-up of temporary learning
spaces and/or providing different forms of supports needed to ensure the continuity of functioning
schools under crisis situation or reopening of disrupted ones.
3.3.4 Psycho-social support for people affected by emergencies
Emergencies, both manmade and natural, have a wide range adverse impact at individual, household,
community and societal levels including psychological and social impacts. Emergencies threaten to
erode normally protective supports, increase the risks of diverse problems and tend to magnify preexisting
problems of social injustice and inequality. Such impacts may threaten peace, human rights and
development. One of the priorities in addressing emergencies is thus to protect and improve people’s
mental health and psychosocial well-being. Achieving this priority requires coordinated action among
all humanitarian actors. Cognizant of these facts, the associated mental health problems and the
required pscho-social support needs to be integrated in emergency response identified in this response
plan.
3.5 Overall Implementation Approach (Coordination, Monitoring and Reporting)
The National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Committee (NDPPC), being the highest body in the
humanitarian arena, will provide guidance and oversee coordination of agreed tasks. The overall
leadership for humanitarian response will be that of the Government at all levels: federal, regional, zonal
and woreda, with the participation of relevant partners: donors, UN agencies, NGOs and communities at
large.
The overall coordinating body, the DPPA, through the Food Aid Taskforce, will review the relief food
situation in particular and also the overall emergency nonfood situation in general. Eventually, it will
advise the NDPPC as well as the concerned partners in undertaking coordinated, timely and
comprehensive emergency response in the year. Similarly, the sectoral taskforces led by Ministry of
Health, and Ministry of Water Resources, and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will, on
their part, be responsible to coordinate, monitor and report on emergency response interventions in their
respective sectors, in partnership with relevant UN, NGOs and Donors.
Effective coordination among Government, UN agencies, NGOs and Donors is crucial to ensure proper
implementation of the new approach and strategies introduced by the Government in addressing
humanitarian needs. The case-by-case approach introduced last year in the way relief resources are
allocated needs continued support from Government and humanitarian partners in undertaking detailed
verification assessments and make most efficient use of limited resources. The two technical committees
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– Monitoring and Methodology - established under the Early Warning Working Group to support the
implementation of the approach also need to be strengthened. 4
The respective UN Cluster Leads will continue to provide more systematic supports in enhancing
Government-led Sectoral Taskforces at the federal and regional levels. The UN Strategic Disaster
Management Team (SDMT), comprising of WFP, UNICEF, WHO, FAO, UNDP, IOM and OCHA,
serves as the key instrument for the coordination of the UN humanitarian response. These agencies will
work together to support pertinent federal humanitarian operating/coordination institutions, i.e. DPPA,
MoH, MoWR and MoARD.
In 2008, further enhanced coordination appears to be crucial in monitoring the humanitarian situations in
the country to ensure the timely preparation of contingency plans to address unanticipated emergencies.
There is a felt need to closely monitor and record humanitarian response activities against sectoral relief
requirement plans. The sectoral taskforces led by the DPPA, Water Resources, Health, and Agriculture
and Rural Development Ministries will monitor and keep records of emergency response activities in
their respective areas and the Ministries, through the chairpersons of the Taskforces, will submit
progress reports to DPPA on a quarterly basis. Besides other related tasks, the Emergency Food Aid
Taskforce will follow up the status of TSF distribution through progress reports from the EOS/TSF
Technical Working Group; whereas the HNE Taskforce will follow up the implementation of EOS
Program. All the taskforces will create the necessary linkage and collaboration with the relevant regional
offices. Overall, DPPA will compile the sectoral monitoring reports and convene bi-annual progress
review meetings involving sectoral emergency taskforces, regional representatives (where practical),
donors, relevant UN agencies and NGO representatives.
4 The monitoring subgroup is responsible for monitoring emergency hazards across the country to alert EWWG. It also organizes verification assessments by
reviewing regional request for assistance; while, the methodology subgroup is responsible for developing assessment tools and check lists for verification
assessments.
Annexes
Annex I: Donors’ Contribution for 2007 Health and Nutrition Appeal.
Donor Amount(USD) Imple. Agency Region
CERF 1,950,000.00 UNICEF All regions in response to AWD
CERF 600,000.00 UNICEF Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR
Spain 394,745.00 UNICEF Afar, Amhara, Somali
Ireland 216,717.84 UNICEF all regions in response to AWD
Belgium 372,973.00 UNICEF Somali and Oromia
EPF 712,745.00 UNICEF Somali
HRF1 681,548.00 UNICEF Afar
HRF2 701,174.21 UNICEF Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR, Tigray
USAID/OFDA 465,494.00 CHF Somali
HRF 18,733.00 CARE Amhara
Gates &Belinda
Foundation
197,066.00 CARE Oromia/Borena zone
HRF 46,709.00 FHI Amhara
HRF 72,871.00 World Vision Amhara
USAID/OFDA 815,843.00 IRC Oromia/SNNP
HRF 558,397.00 Oxfam GB Afar
HRF 99,250.00 Oxfam GB SNNPR
Total (original) 7,687,548.21
Total (corrected) 7,904,266.05
Source UNOCHA
Annex II: Emergency feed requirement by Region for 2008
Regions
Number of targeted Total feed Estimated cost
woredas cattle Hay bales concentrate qt USD
Afar 9 9,027 54,180 1,358 265,758
Amhara 41 220,118 0 11,598 346,028
Oromia 16 104,110 497,273 0 2,012,712
Operational cost 393,675
Total 66 333,255 551,453 12,956 3,018,173
Annex III: Emergency livestock health requirements by Region
Regions No. of Targets Fund Requirement, USD
Woredas Livestock drugs vaccines equipments
Total
Afar 9 9,027 32,678 0 0 32,678
Amhara 41 297,210 314072 129,636 0 443,708
Oromia 16 104,110 78336 12,850 0 91,186
SNNP 41 1,058,530 30154 39,933 8,098 78,186
Tigray 5 302,000 96316 27,921 0 124,237
Somali 39 946,872 211158 29,474 29,558 270,190
Operational cost 156,028
Total 151 2,717,749 762,714 239,814 37,656 1,196,213
23
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Annex IV: Emergency Destocking plan
Regions
Number of targeted
woredas cattle Requirement in USD
Afar 9,027 4,358
Oromia 70,000 50,000
Total 79,027 54,358
Annex V: Emergency seed requirements by Region for 2008
Regions Number of
woredas
House Area to be Seed Requirement in USD
Holds covered ha (Tones)
Afar 3 2,662 1,641 30 21,941
Amhara 48 19,940 21,243 2,536 425,915
Oromia 40 57,301 28,651 603 382,511
SNNPR 36 77,308 12,773 3,330* 1,302,304
Tigray 6 38,400 9,600 785 513,275
Somali 16 5,000 2,500 323 45,000
Operational cost 172,066
Total 149 200,611 76,408 7,607 2,863,012
*excluding 36 million sweet potato cutting