Skip to main content

Ethiopia: Agriculture Sector Situation and HRP Monthly Dashboard - February 2020

Countries
Ethiopia
Sources
FAO
Publication date

SITUATION

An estimated 8.5M people are severely food insecure, Phase 3 and above, according to IPC between February and June 2020. Moreover, Afar, Amhara, Tigray, SNNPR, Somali, Oromia and Dire Dawa have reported infestations of desert locusts. As recent assessment of the impacts of desert locust shows that, about 25% of people in these affected regions are reliant on markets. The number of households relying on food throughout the lean season (March to May) along with expected rising food prices, will most likely increase food insecurity of vulnerable and affected households. The locust infestation started in July 2019 and is still ongoing, despite aerial and ground operations to control the spread. Swarms are present in eastern areas of Ethiopia and continue to move south and into the Rift Valley with a new generation of locusts expected to cause more damage. As a result, in the next few months high-risk relates to the anticipated expansion of the swarms in the Belg producing and pastoral areas of south and southeastern Ethiopia. The COVID 19 pandemic will further complicate the ability to monitor the spread of the DL.