Ethiopia Weekly Humanitarian Bulletin, 6 February 2017

Key Issues

• Spring rains expected to be weak in current drought-affected areas

• A high-level mission to Borena zone sheds light on drought response and gaps in the area

• The Logistics Cluster handed over a refurbished logistics hub facility to NDRMC in Adama

Spring rains expected to be weak in current drought-affected areas

According to the National Meteorological Agency (NMA) climate outlook for belg 2017 season (mid-February to May), below normal rainfall is expected in the southern and south-eastern parts of the country. Belg is the main rainy season for the pastoralist and agro‐pastoralist communities in the lowlands of southern and south-eastern Ethiopia, including southern Somali region, the lowlands of Borena, Guji and Bale zones (Oromia region) and SNNPR; and it’s the second major rainy season for Afar region. The expected below normal rainfall in belg-benefiting areas will negatively impact belg land preparation and planting, as well as water and pasture availability; with a spiral effect on food and nutritional security of affected communities.

The agency urges farmers and all concerned bodies to take pre-emptive measures to minimize the humanitarian impact, including planting short cycle, moisture-tolerant crops; rain water harvesting; moisture conservation; and pasture management practices. Belg crops account for 30 to 60 per cent of the annual crop production in belg-dependent area