The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said that more than 5 million people are affected by drought conditions in northern Ethiopia.
In its latest Ethiopia situation report released late Tuesday, the UNOCHA said over 5 million people are reportedly affected by drought-like conditions in the country’s northern Amhara and Tigray regions, noting that an estimated 3.5 million people in the Amhara region and more than 2 million people in Tigray region are at risk of food crisis.
The report also warned the shortage of agricultural input, diseases and pests, as well as interruption of farming due to ongoing hostilities in the Amhara region, are contributing to the food crisis in northern Ethiopia.
The UNOCHA said the drought-like condition in the Tigray region could cause critical food and animal feed shortages as well as increased incidences of malnutrition and animal disease outbreaks if sufficient assistance isn’t provided on time.
The report said humanitarian needs across Ethiopia will continue to remain high, triggered by the combined effects of climate change, conflicts, inter-communal violence and disease outbreaks.
