El Niño Crisis - Water and Food Security in Ethiopia - Oxfam Canada 2017

October 2016 - As a result of a particularly strong El Niño event in the Pacific Ocean Ethiopia is facing its worst food security crisis in thirty years. Failed rains in many areas of southern and eastern Ethiopia throughout 2015 left more than 10 million people in need of emergency food assistance a massive increase from 2.9 million people at the beginning of the year. Malnutrition rates have also risen with at least 400 000 children expected to require treatment for severe acute malnutrition in 2016. In addition access to safe water particularly in rural areas continues to decline leading to widespread livestock deaths and the threat of outbreaks of water-borne diseases such as cholera. Depending on events the situation is expected to remain critical until May of 2017. With GAC’s support Oxfam is working to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of an estimated 81 600 drought-affected people in the Somali Region of eastern Ethiopia. Through the repair or rehabilitation of water sources Oxfam is improving access to safe water for both human and animal use. In addition cash for work opportunities and livelihoods support are helping beneficiaries to meet their basic needs while also building household and community resilience in the face of future shocks.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved access to safe water; and (2) improved food security and household resilience amongst drought-affected households. The expected ultimate outcome is lives saved suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crisis or that are facing acute food insecurity.