El Niño Crisis - Improving Food Security in Ethiopia - World Vision 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 World Vision Canada is working to improve the food security of an estimated 236 000 drought-affected people in the area of Dollo Ado in Ethiopia's Somali region. Through the provision of agricultural inputs (seeds tools training) or livestock support (fodder veterinary assistance) the project aims to help subsistence farmers and pastoralists to: (1) meet their basic food needs; and (2) protect their longer-term livelihoods by preventing them from having to resort to negative coping/survival strategies (such as selling off household assets or forcing children into early marriage).

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved food security; and (2) protected livelihoods of drought-affected subsistence farmers and pastoralists in Ethiopia's Somali region. 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.