Despite better harvest, 7.2 million Ethiopians still need food aid - UN report

Despite a good harvest, 7.2 million Ethiopians – nearly one in 10 –will require outside aid to meet minimum food requirements in 2004, according to a joint report released today by two United Nations agencies.

While this represents about half of the level of assistance needed last year, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) warned that the international community cannot become complacent in the face of Ethiopia’s hunger.

“We had hopes that with better climatic conditions we were actually going to get a dramatic improvement in the situation, and there has been some improvement, but that doesn’t mean that people can just say, ‘Right that’s one problem solved,’” WFP spokesman Robin Lodge told the UN News Service.

“We will be looking to the donors for funds because Ethiopians desperately need help,” he said when interviewed by telephone from his office in Rome.

Ethiopia will need nearly a million tons food relief this year, with confirmed commitments standing at less than a sixth of that, according to the report by based a month long joint mission to Ethiopia at the end of last year.

The report said overall agricultural performance last year was much better than in 2002 primarily due to favourable weather conditions. It noted that seasonal rains began on time, were well distributed and continued until October in the main production areas, resulting in an upsurge of grain production.

Aid programmes also helped ensure access to seeds in most regions, while the increased use of improved seed and fertilizer also contributed to a marked improvement in yields over 2002.

But despite these overall gains, the report estimated that Ethiopia will still need 980,000 tons of food relief for 2004, compared with 1.8 million tons last year. Confirmed food aid commitments stand at 160,000 tons, the report said.