Implementation Report on the CERF Allocation: Ethiopia, Anticipatory Action - Drought (2021)

This report summarizes the use of and results achieved by CERF funds allocated to the 2021 anticipatory action pilot addressing drought in Ethiopia. The allocation overview noted CERF’s added value of promoting a mindset shift to recipient agencies and partners and providing essential and timely funding, as well as the funding’s reach to ERC’s underfunded priority areas (women and girls - including gender-based violence, people with disabilities, education, and protection). A table of allocation amounts, recipient project and cluster/sector is provided. The triggers for this pilot are summarized, including thresholds for food insecurity and drought. The CERF allocation reached 903,275 people directly as well as additional populations indirectly. Lessons for the CERF secretariat include that assumptions made during development of anticipatory frameworks must sometimes be adapted to respond to actual developments on the ground, and that earlier action of the pilot – even if it involves greater risk – may improve timeliness of the intervention. Suggestions for improvement include continuing to exercise flexibility with implementation requests and to having further discussions on the trigger levels and risk acceptance for future programming. Lessons and suggested improvements for in-country teams include greater agency-level commitment to anticipatory action and the need to consider other underlying factors and shocks, such as conflict.