Water Shortages Persist Despite Rains While water availability has improved in parts of the country, particularly in the south-east, due to the kiremt/meher rains in cropping areas and the deyr/hagaya rains in pastoral areas inadequate rainfall in some woredas means that serious shortages continue to be reported, particularly in the lowland areas of Oromia, north-eastern parts of Afar and some parts of Tigray. In Oromia Region, parts of Borena, Guji, Bale, and East and West Hararghe zones are facing critical water shortages. The Regional Water Bureau (RWB) is planning to request support for water trucking in these areas. Meanwhile, a team comprising the Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Bureau (DPPB), the RWB, CARE and Save the Children UK is assessing the situation in Bidu, Kori and Elidar woredas, among the chronically water-insecure parts of Afar. In Tigray Region, drought-prone woredas in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern zones continue to be challenged by acute water shortages. UNICEF has been supporting water trucking interventions in one of the worst affected woreda-Raya Azebo. In Somali Region, pocket areas in Warder, Jijiga, Shinile and Afder zones report serious water shortages. The DPPB with financial support from UNICEF is providing water trucking services to 12,000 people in Warder and Bokh woredas in Warder zone, Aisha woreda in Shinille zone, Guradamole woreda in Afder zone and Harshin woreda in Jijiga zone until December 2009. For more information contact: [email protected]

Update On Displacements in Gambella Humanitarian partners report that many of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Akobo woreda (Gambella) who had been sheltering in Lual Kuach village have now left the area due to fear of renewed attack by groups of Murle and Lou Nuer. Wanthowa woreda officials are proposing that the IDP settlement be moved from Lual Kuach village to Mathar, which is the centre for Wanthowa woreda, some 10 km from the current location. The Akobo IDPs, most of whom are of the Jikany Nuer ethnic group, were originally displaced in August in the wake of attacks by Lou Nuer who themselves fled into from neighbouring Jonglei region of South Sudan after being attacked by ethnic Murle. In total, approximately 24,000 Ethiopian residents of Akobo were displaced. Agencies including Samaritan's Purse and ZOA, supported by IOM, are providing NFIs to the displaced communities, while UNICEF is providing educational supports and DRMFSS/WFP provided food aid. Increasing conflict in South Sudan poses the risk of further exacerbating the situation on the Ethiopia side of the border. For more information contact: [email protected]

Food Aid Update Planning for the seventh round of relief food distribution has been finalized by the Disaster Risk Management and Food Security Sector (DRMFSS), WFP and Joint Emergency Operation Programme (JEOP), targeting 6.2 million beneficiaries, including 2.2 million covered by the JEOP. The seventh round food allocations are now being prepared and are due to be completed in two weeks. Meanwhile, dispatches under the sixth round of food distributions are ongoing. For more information contact: [email protected]

Targeted Supplementary Feeding (TSF) Resource Shortfall WFP reports that the Targeted Supplementary Feeding (TSF) programme is facing critical resource shortfalls. With existing requirements already greater than available resources, additional TSF support requests continue to be received from various parts of the country that received erratic and insufficient rains, including Somali Region. Current resources can meet part of the needs in Somali Region, but pocket areas in other parts of the country will not be assisted. For more information contact: [email protected]

Therapeutic Feeding Programme (TFP) Monitoring Update A joint monitoring assessment of the Therapeutic Feeding Programme (TFP) roll-out was conducted in between 9 and 13 November. A team comprising Zonal Health Departments (ZHDs), woreda health bureaus, UNICEF, Save the Children UK, CONCERN, GOAL and MSF-Greece visited nine woredas, including , , , , Mekdela, , Desse Zuria, and Gazegibela in North and South Wollo and Waghamara zones. Among the major challenges affecting the quality of services delivered at TFP facilities include logistical challenges due to the topography of the sites and low progress in the decentralization of the programme. The RHB, UNICEF and ENCU will convene in Bahir Dar to develop action plans to address the identified challenges. For more information contact: [email protected]

Ongoing Assessments The Government-led multi-sectoral meher assessment started in agricultural areas (Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, Tigray, Gambella and Beneshangul Gumuz) and Afar Region on 23 November. The assessment in pastoral areas is expected to start on 30 November. The results of the assessment are expected to be used to verify the findings of the mid-meher assessment conducted between 28 September and 11 October. Meanwhile, the Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM), a joint effort by WFP and FAO, began on 9 November all crop producing areas of the country. The CFSAM will look at overall crop production in 2009, also building on the findings of the mid-meher assessment.

Following reports of high levels of malnutrition in Borena zone (Oromia), and deteriorating food security in South Omo zone (SNNPR), joint technical teams from the Ministry of Health, Disaster Prevention and Preparedness and Food Security Sector Bureau and UNICEF have been deployed to assess the situation. For more information contact: [email protected], [email protected] & [email protected]