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Humanitarian Bulletin - Weekly Humanitarian Highlights in Ethiopia, 21 May 2012

Countries
Ethiopia
+ 1 more
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

Belg/Gu Assessment Update

The multi-agency, multi-sectoral belg season needs assessment is expected to start on 1 June 2012 in Somali Region, and on 8 June in Afar, Amhara, Oromia, SNNP and Tigray Regions. The belg assessment covers the agricultural areas in the central Ethiopian highlands that receive belg (mid-February to May) rains, as well as agro-pastoralist and pastoralist areas in the eastern and southern lowlands that receive gu/ganna/sugum (April to June) rains. Conducted annually, the belg assessment serves as the basis for updating the Humanitarian Requirements Document (HRD) – the national appeal for humanitarian funding – for the second half of the year.

The HRD, meanwhile, provides an overview of the resources needed to support humanitarian response in the areas of food and nutritional assistance, access to basic health care, clean water, improved sanitation and education, and to sustain vulnerable livelihoods through the provision of seeds and tools or animal health and other assistance aimed at enhancing livestock production. The revised HRD is expected to be released in mid-July. Of particular concern in 2012 is the situation in belg-dependent parts of Amhara, central Oromia and SNNPR where the delayed start of the rains – by up to two months – will have negatively affected belg crop production and is likely to contribute to deepening food insecurity amongst the most vulnerable households. The belg assessment is expected to give an updated picture of the situation on the ground. For more information, contact: infodrmfss@dppc.gov.et & ocha-eth@un.org

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.