Millions Under Severe Hunger Risk

Tens of millions in Ethiopia will face acute food shortages in three months if sufficient aid fails to arrive in time, warns a survey conducted by the Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Over 2.1 billion dollars is needed to address agricultural, nutritional and food insecurities that could put the lives of more than 20 million people in a precarious situation. USAID pledged 1.2 billion dollars three months ago in aid to respond to food insecurity in the Horn of Africa, following the survey's release that 32 million people across Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya face severe hunger. FAO urged prioritising drought and conflict-affected populations through life-sustaining food and nutrition assistance. The survey found close to 13 million people in Northern Ethiopia are in desperate need of emergency food assistance, showing 18pc increase from last year. Recurrent drought, depleting foreign exchange reserves, resumption of the war, periodic fuel shortages, and a sharp currency depreciation due to the parallel market exacerbated the economic outlook for the country.