Background
- 2002 complete failure of seasonal rains
- July 2002-the Government issued an Alert
on the situation.
- August 2002-Government and Eritrean
Refugee and Rehabilitation Commission (ERREC) issued an Appeal for urgent
humanitarian response.
- 600,000 metric tons of annual consumption
required.
- 54,000 metric tons harvested (546,000
metric tons shortage).
- 476,797 metric tons of food aid including cereals, pulses, oil and supplementary items, needed (assessment conducted jointly by experts from Government, UN systems and NGOs).
Population Affected
- 2.3 out of 3.5 million total population
is in need of emergency food (beneficiaries comprise of IDP's, expellees
from Ethiopia, returnee refugees and HIV/AIDS victims).
- 58,180 IDP are waiting for the demarcation and demining of the border so that they can return to their productive farmland and grazing grounds.
Impact of Drought
- Steady decline in food security, agricultural
productivity, nutrition and water resources
- 2/3 of the population is facing acute
food and water shortages
- Global acute malnutrition is between
15-28%.
- People are walking on average 3-5 hours
to obtain drinking water.
- Average cost of livestock has fallen
by 30% due to distress sale.
- 1/3 of all livestock in the country
are directly affected by shortage of water and fodder.
- Local grain prices have increased by 100% in the last 4 months.
Critical and Immediate Needs
- General food for 2.3 million people
(should include, pulses, lentils, chickpeas and beans as well as cooking
oil)
- Supplementary food for 400,000 children
and women
- 70% of the villages in the country require
assistance for safe water systems and supplies.
- Medicines are highly required to prevent
communicable diseases caused by luck of water and food
- Feed and veterinary care for the livestock.
- Over 10,000 MTs of seeds and basic agricultural inputs are required for the 2003 planting season.
What the Government is Doing
- Purchased 80,000 M.T from the International
market
- Under the motto that "our people
will not die of starvation as long as we are alive", Eritreans in
and outside the country are mobilized to donate whatever they can.
- Formed a National Drought Relief Coordinating
Committee comprised of Minister of Health (MOH), Minister of Labor and
Human Welfare (MOLHW) and Head of Macropolicy.
- Extensive water conservation awareness
campaign.
- Construction of Dams and digging of
wells intensified.
- Road construction to major agricultural
areas.
- Expansion of drip irrigation system.
- Introduction of mechanized farming.
- Incentives to commercial farmers
- Fully committed to the speedy implementation of the April 13, 2002 final and binding decision by the independent Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission (EEBC)
International Response
- Quantity pledged, 112,330 MT
- The Total food response, so far, covers
only about 24%
- Supplementary food response only 2%
Conclusion
So far, the confirmed pledges or commitments are very small. It is now a matter of few months time before virtually all the rural farmers have consumed all the negligible harvest including their assets and live stocks.
As people face more acute food and water shortage, diarrhea, respiratory, skin and other infectious diseases will take their toll. Therefore, urgent health, nutrition and water needs are essential. Without swift urgent international response, the lives of 2.3 million Eritreans, the majority of whom are children and women, are at serious danger of death and starvation.
Contact:
Tsehai Habtemariam
(202) 588-7597