The Ethiopian Red Cross Society acts to anticipate the impacts of drought

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society has activated its Early Action Protocol (EAP) for Drought. This has released 207,308 Swiss francs (245,300 US dollars / 222,200 euros), which will support 70,000 people ahead of the worst impacts of the drought.

Forecasts of a severe drought in Ethiopia

Seasonal outlooks for the coming October, November, December (Bega) season, issued by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre and the Ethiopian Meteorology Institute, predicted a drought in parts of three regions: Southern Ethiopia; Somali Region (in the Shebelle Zone); and Oromia (the East Bale Zone and some southerly parts of the region).

Having analysed this forecast information alongside impact-based forecasts, the technical working group that monitors the forecasts estimated a 45 per cent probability of a drought: a figure high enough to meet the first trigger level, as set out in Ethiopia’s EAP for Drought.

A range of anticipatory actions to support those at risk

The forecasts of below-normal rainfall are likely to affect agricultural production and livestock, with water-related impacts also expected. The activation of the EAP saw the release of pre-agreed funds from the anticipatory pillar of the Disaster Response Emergency Fund of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Ethiopian Red Cross Society will now carry out a series of anticipatory actions over 15 days in September. Targeting around 14,000 households in the three regions, these actions will focus on three sectors:

• Livelihoods, with actions including the promotion of destocking and the introduction of temporary slaughterhouses.
• Water, sanitation and hygiene, with actions including measures to raise awareness of how to control water-borne diseases such as cholera.
• Risk reduction, climate adaptation and recovery, with actions including training women how to screen for the early symptoms of malnutrition.

These actions will be implemented through a consultative process that includes communities, the government and other stakeholders.

Full details of the planned actions, and the number of households targeted, are available in the activation notification.