Amhara Region Assessment Findings Preliminary report of the joint multi-agency team (Disaster Risk Management and Food Security Sector (DRMFSS), Regional Disaster Prevention and Food Security Bureau, Regional Water Bureau, WFP, UNICEF, OCHA, GOAL and Save the Children UK) indicates that the food security situation in North Wollo and Wag Hemra zones (Amhara) requires immediate humanitarian intervention. According to the team, communities have migrated from Sekota and woredas () to Mersa, Woldiya, Dessie, Gayint and due to the consecutive failure of harvests and significant decline of income from livestock and agricultural labour. Various reports also indicate that some livestock have migrated from Abergelle woreda (Wag Hemra zone) to East woreda (North zone) and from () to areas bordering Afar (Golina) since January 2010. It was reported that the cross border movement has created tensions between communities in Afar and Amhara. Physical conditions and productivity of livestock are seriously affected due to shortage of feed and water. Furthermore, delay in transfer and distributions of resources under relief and productive safety net programmes have exacerbated the situation. In the immediate term, the team recommends timely dispatch and distribution of resources in all programmes and allocation of additional food relief for Sekota and Abergelle woredas. The provision of emergency seed and livestock interventions, including feed supply and de-stocking, in the affected areas have also been prioritized for response. For more information contact: [email protected]

Seasonal Update Rains continue to be received in many belg producing and pastoral areas of the country. The latest WFP external update reports that most woredas in SNNPR are receiving ‘medium’ to ‘heavy’ rains, resulting in flooding of streams in Amaro Special Woreda. Rains have also been reported in Arsi, East Wellega, West Shoa and Bale zones in . Taking advantage of the rains, farmers in North Shoa, Arsi, Bale, East and West zones and Administration and Harari region have started land preparation for belg planting. Water shortages, however, continue in Bale zone, Oromia. In Amhara and Tigray regions, the report notes that belg rains continue with varying intensity. In , WFP reports that heavy rains on 2 March 2010 in Awbare, Gursum, Kebribeyah, Togwuchale and Babile woredas, zone, caused some flooding. The rain partially submerged houses in the low-lying areas of Jijiga town and damaged a small bridge that connects Jijiga town to Lafaisa/Awbare. The main road of Jijiga town, currently under construction, was also flooded. The Afar Pastoralist Development Association (ADPA) reports that the unseasonal rains in January/February have extended, marking the very early start of sugum (short rains) in Afar. The latest FEWSNET/WFP food security update also indicates that the climate outlook provided by the National Meteorology Agency (NMA) forecasts that the performance of the sugum rains (March to May) will be ‘normal’ to ‘above normal’, improving water and pasture availability. For more information contact: [email protected], [email protected] & info@[email protected]

Health Update Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) cases continue to be reported in Somali and SNNPR. WHO reports that cumulative national cases are reportedly declining, although official report from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) is still expected. To support emergency response to the ongoing outbreak, WHO provided diarrhoeal kits and other supplies to the SNNP Regional Health Bureau (RHB). WHO has also provided training on AWD case management to 45 health workers.

Measles cases continue to be reported in Sidama, Benchi Maji and Konso Special woreda in SNNPR. The RHB, however, notes that the overall number of cases reported in Sidama zone is decreasing. Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases of H1N1 Influenza A still stands at 13 with zero death for the year, with no cases reported by the FMoH during the week. For more information contact: [email protected]

Market Watch According to the latest Market Watch issued by WFP, the general inflation based on the monthly moving average continues to decline, standing at 6.6 per cent in January 2010, with food inflation at 0.7 per cent and non-food inflation at 17.8 per cent. This is the lowest inflation level measured by the 12 months moving average for general, food and non-food items since the decline started in March 2009. The continued decline, particularly in food price inflation, is attributed to the decrease in food prices, especially cereals, pulses and spices due to harvests. Compared to the same period last year, the prices of cereals (wheat, maize and sorghum) in January 2010 decreased in all monitored urban markets except for wheat price in which showed an increase of20 per cent. The market price forecast indicates that the price of staple food commodities in some urban and rural markets is expected to be stable in March 2010. For more information contact: [email protected]