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Ethiopia to seek urgent food aid Ethiopia to seek urgent food aid
(about 2 hours later)
The Ethiopian government is expected to confirm later that it needs emergency food aid for 6.2 million people.The Ethiopian government is expected to confirm later that it needs emergency food aid for 6.2 million people.
This is because of the effects of prolonged drought and erratic rains on crops and grazing for livestock.This is because of the effects of prolonged drought and erratic rains on crops and grazing for livestock.
The UN's World Food Programme is already facing a shortfall of more than $85m (£50m) worth of food for Ethiopia to the end of this year. The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) is already facing a shortfall of more than $85m (£50m) worth of food for Ethiopia to the end of this year.
Aid agency Oxfam has called for a new approach to tackling the risk of disaster in the country.Aid agency Oxfam has called for a new approach to tackling the risk of disaster in the country.
In a report marking 25 years since the famine that killed around one million Ethiopians, Oxfam said that imported food aid saves lives in the short term but does little to help communities withstand the next shock.
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Ethiopia is suffering from the impact of prolonged drought and erratic rains.
The report, named Band Aids and Beyond, called on international donors to adopt a new approach focused on preparing communities to prevent and deal with disasters before they strike.
"Drought does not need to mean hunger and destitution," said Penny Lawrence, Oxfam's international director, who has just returned from Ethiopia.
"If communities have irrigation for crops, grain stores, and wells to harvest rains then they can survive despite what the elements throw at them."
'Total wipe-out''Total wipe-out'
It has been hit by the food crisis affecting a large part of East Africa and the Horn. Ethiopia has been hit by the food crisis affecting a large part of East Africa and the Horn.
Fields of maize, burnt and withered by the sun, are the evidence of an emerging crisis. ETHIOPIA'S DROUGHT Costs $1.1bn a year70% of aid from US10 million people affected4.6 million threatened by hunger and malnutrition38% of under-fives under weight
In both the hardest-hit south of Ethiopia and in places here in the north, farmers have told me they face a total wipe-out of their harvests. The drought, brought on by four years of bad harvests, has been made worse by conflict, climate change and population growth.
Fields of maize, burnt and withered by the sun, are the evidence of an emerging crisis, says the BBC's Mike Wooldridge in the town of Mekele.
In both the hardest-hit south of Ethiopia and in places in the north, farmers have told the BBC they face a total wipe-out of their harvests.
Some said they planned to sell their livestock, so damaging their livelihoods further.Some said they planned to sell their livestock, so damaging their livelihoods further.
In a report marking 25 years since the famine that killed around one million Ethiopians, Oxfam said that imported food aid saves lives now but does little to help communities withstand the next shock. There are more than 10 million people affected by drought in Ethiopia, according to the WFP, with 4.6 million threatened by hunger or malnutrition. These numbers could rise further.
It called for more investment in building resilience to disasters. The problem is compounded by high food costs, the WFP adds, with cereal prices doubling on many markets.
Last month Oxfam launched a $15m (£9.5m) emergency appeal for the whole East African region, where it is suggested that 23 million people in seven countries are under threat.