Weekly humanitarian highlights in Ethiopia, 14 Dec 2009

2010 National Contingency Plan

The joint Government and partners multi-sectoral national contingency plan for the first half of 2010 was released on Monday 7 December 2009. The contingency plan estimates US$270 million is needed to address projected emergency requirements for food assistance, health and nutritional care, water and sanitation, education and livelihood supports to agriculturalists and pastoralists between January and June 2010, based on the most likely scenario. Of these total requirements, the net food requirement equals $195.2 million. The contingency plan is based on the mid-season (mid-meher) assessment conducted between 28 September and 11 October 2009, as well as a review of available early warning information and post disaster assessment reports. It takes into account the poor performance of the 2009 belg (March-May) rains, followed by the delayed onset and below average performance of the meher (June-October) rains, particularly in eastern parts of the country. The contingency plan was developed as a key component in the shift to the more forward-looking approach envisaged under the national Disaster Risk Management (DRM) framework. It is hoped that the quick release of the assessment results and associated plan will help to ensure the timely mobilization of resources for an effective response. The estimated requirements laid out in the contingency plan are expected to be further verified through the ongoing meher assessment, which started on 23 November 2009 is expected to continue through the end of December. The findings of the assessment will form the basis for the 2010 Humanitarian Requirements Document (January to June). For more information contact: info@dppc.gov.et & ocha-eth@un.org

Meanwhile, on 4 December, the joint FAO and WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) gave a debriefing to humanitarian partners on its findings, indicating that the meher harvest is expected to be loweryielding than last year's, mainly due to several consecutive seasons of poor rainfall performance. The mission findings were based on field visits, as well as a desk review, and reflect the results of the mid-meher assessment. Final reports are being compiled with a view to being shared by February 2010. For more information contact: sophie.gordon@fao.org & ocha-eth@un.org