Eastern Africa Drought Humanitarian Report No. 3
This report is produced by OCHA in collaboration with humanitarian partners. It was issued by the Sub-Regional Office for Eastern Africa (SROEA), Nairobi. It covers the period 01-31 May 2011. The next report will be issued on or around 15 July 2011.
I. HIGHLIGHTS/KEY PRIORITIES
2011 is the driest period in the Eastern Horn of Africa since 1995: drought remains a major threat with no likelihood of improvement until early 2012.1 The number of people in acute livelihood crisis expected to increase from 8.8 million in the coming months.
Although Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia saw the late arrival of the long pastoral rains (March-May), amounts received were low and insufficient to sustain human and livestock water consumption and regenerate pasture until the next rainy season (expected in October): river levels in Somalia said to be at historic minimums, while water and cereal prices registered highest increases in 12 months.
Overall food security conditions across pastoral and marginal agricultural areas will continue to deteriorate in the coming 3 to 4 months, with expectation of late and below-average summer harvests, early depletion of pasture and water, and continued high prices of food, water and fuel.
Kenya has declared the drought a national disaster: inflation in Kenya is at 14% - highest in two years – and expected to increase further.
Funding gaps have been reported in all major sectors, particularly in Nutrition, WASH and Livelihoods; humanitarian country teams are revising their response plans and funding requirements to account for the deteriorating situation.
La Niña conditions have begun to dissipate, increasing the likelihood of normal to above-normal rainfall in areas that receive rains during the June to September period; in Ethiopia, flash floods have already been reported in pocket areas, while in Uganda, more landslides are feared in Bugisu sub-region, although Karamoja is expected to see below-normal rains through June.
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