Drought Fears in Eritrea

NAIROBI - Apr 26/04 - IRIN -- Rains that normally fall along Eritrea's eastern and coastal areas from November to February have largely failed for the fourth consecutive year, raising fears of another drought, the United Nations reports.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a March-April donor information update that the rains, known as the Bahri rains, would normally fall along the eastern escarpments and the Northern Red Sea region.

"Concern has been rising about the possibility of a fifth year of drought, due to below-normal rainfall in much of the regions this season," OCHA said. Rainfall over the central region of Azmera was also expected to be low, while the rest of Eritrea would be dry, except the Debub and Maekal regions in the west central and central parts of the country respectively.

OCHA said it was also concerned over the general humanitarian needs of Eritreans. "Coping mechanisms are wearing out as poverty deepens. Although generous support helped to avert a major humanitarian disaster last year, 1.9 million Eritreans (more than half the country's population) will have to rely on humanitarian assistance again this year, for which donor support is required," it said.

The priority areas for support over the coming months, OCHA added, included emergency food, health and nutrition, water and sanitation, seeds and tools, emergency shelter for those in camps, HIV/AIDS, repatriation of refugees to Sudan, and coordination activities.

"Optimism for a significant reduction in vulnerability is fading fast, with the food security situation in many regions being threatened again, as rains have either failed or have not fallen at the right time," OCHA said. "With the 2003 agricultural output in Eritrea being less than 20% of the country's food needs, predictions indicate a huge shortage of food production."

OCHA added that the impact of the failed rains on the majority of Eritreans depending on agriculture and livestock for their livelihood was enormous. "The situation is likely to worsen and would demand immediate attention and support from the international community," it said.

World Food Programme (WFP) staff reported severe shortages in many areas in the northwestern region of Anseba, forcing villagers to walk increasingly long distances in search of water. In Debub, and coastal regions of Northern Red Sea and Southern Red Sea, more than 20 villages were dependent on trucked water.

According to the update, preliminary results of the first round of the National Nutritional Surveillance System indicated malnutrition in all five surveyed regions - as high as 17% in some regions.

"WFP has noted that while the nutrition situation in the Maekel region remains at an acceptable level, global acute malnutrition rates in rural areas of the Southern Red Sea region are alarmingly high. UNICEF [UN Children's Fund] reported that wasting still remains above 10% and in some cases 15%," it said.

Copyright (c) 2004 UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs