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Ethiopian farmers walk in their wheat field in Abay, north of Addis Ababa - Source: Reuters
Ethiopia appealed for 159,410 tonnes of emergency aid to feed
6.2 million people, 25 years after more than a million perished in
the country's notorious famine.
Aid workers say a five-year drought is afflicting more than 23
million people in seven east African nations.
Mitiku Kassa, Ethiopia's State Minister for Agriculture and Rural
Development, said this year's rains were especially poor.
"As a result, the number of people needing emergency assistance
during the period Oct-Dec 2009 has increased to 6.2 million from
4.9 million at beginning of the year," he said.
Ethiopia has a population of 83 million.
He appealed for 159,410 tonnes of food worth $160 million, 11
tonnes of fortified blended food for malnourished children and
women worth $11.7 million, and $59 million in non-food needs.
UN humanitarian coordinator Fidelle Sarassaro urged the Ethiopian
government to ensure free access to aid workers to the war-torn
eastern Somali region.
"Access has been a challenge for the non-food sector and needs to
be addressed. The subject has been under consultation with the
government at all levels," he said.
Also, aid agency Oxfam called for an end to what it called
knee-jerk reactions to food crises that focused on sending food
aid.
While food did save lives, it failed to offer longer-term
solutions.
Oxfam said communities at risk should be helped to prevent and deal
with disasters like drought before they strike, rather than relying
mostly on short-term emergency relief supplies.
