Belg/Gu Assessment Update The multi-agency, multi-sectoral belg season needs assessment is expected to start on 1 June 2012 in , and on 8 June in Afar, Amhara, Oromia, SNNP and Tigray Regions. The belg assessment covers the agricultural areas in the central Ethiopian highlands that receive belg (mid-February to May) rains, as well as agro-pastoralist and pastoralist areas in the eastern and southern lowlands that receive gu/ganna/sugum (April to June) rains. Conducted annually, the belg assessment serves as the basis for updating the Humanitarian Requirements Document (HRD) – the national appeal for humanitarian funding – for the second half of the year. The HRD, meanwhile, provides an overview of the resources needed to support humanitarian response in the areas of food and nutritional assistance, access to basic health care, clean water, improved sanitation and education, and to sustain vulnerable livelihoods through the provision of seeds and tools or animal health and other assistance aimed at enhancing livestock production. The revised HRD is expected to be released in mid- July. Of particular concern in 2012 is the situation in belg-dependent parts of Amhara, central Oromia and SNNPR where the delayed start of the rains – by up to two months – will have negatively affected belg crop production and is likely to contribute to deepening food insecurity amongst the most vulnerable households. The belg assessment is expected to give an updated picture of the situation on the ground. For more information, contact: [email protected] & ocha- [email protected] Price Update ’s year-on-year inflation rate slowed to 29.8 per cent in April from 32.5 per cent in March according to the latest figures released by the Central Statistics Agency. Food price inflation dropped 4.2 per cent to 36.7 per cent, while non-food inflation dropped four fifths a point to 19.6. The inflation rate has trended downwards in March and April, following an unusual spike in February 2012. Prior to February, there had been five months of steadily declining inflation rates since the peak of 40.6 per cent inflation reached in August 2011. With prices remaining significantly higher than the five-year average, the continued inflation is primarily driven by food prices, especially for cereals, pulses, bread and other prepared foods, dairy products and meat. Prices of staple foods are likely to increase over the coming two to three months until the next harvest reaches the market and improves supply. Meat price inflation, in particular, reached a record high of 90 per cent in April. While this has undoubtedly impacted household purchasing power at the end of the long Lenten fasting season, it also helped to further improve pastoralist terms of trade. With livestock prices increasing faster than crop prices in most areas, pastoralist terms of trade have improved nationwide. However, there is rising concern that livestock body conditions – and from there sale prices and terms of trade – will be negatively affected by decreasing rainfall in the southern and south-eastern lowlands towards the end of May. The National Meteorological Agency has forecast a decline in intensity and coverage of gu/ganna/sugum rainfall towards to the end of the month. While it comes at the end of the season, any early reduction in rains extends the dry season and increases the chances for insufficient regeneration of pasture and replenishment of water shortages to see pastoralist communities through until the next rains begin in October. For more information, contact: [email protected] Flood Update About 702 households in six kebeles of Kalafo woreda and 30 households in four kebeles of Mustahil woreda, zone (Somali) have been affected by flash flooding that occurred on 2 May and require assistance. The flooding caused significant damage, with numerous livestock deaths and damage to planted crops and stored food reported in the affected areas. While both woredas were affected, significantly lower amounts of damage in terms of loss of life and property was recorded in Mustahil woreda, where local authorities actively disseminated early warning on the potential for flash floods and where preventive actions, such as laying sand bags along the Wabishebelle River’s bank, were taken. Humanitarian actors have jointly identified areas for response, including provision of food assistance and water purification materials, as well as enhanced health and nutrition coverage. Most affected households are targeted to receive agricultural inputs, including seeds and farm tools, to complement existing coping mechanisms such as recession agriculture and increased fishing. Elsewhere in Somali Region, flooding was also reported in parts of , including in the villages of Maraato, Hudur- Eyle and El-Ogaden and in Kabridahar town in the third week of April. Relief food was jointly mobilized by the NGO ACF and the Woreda Health Bureau and distributed to the most-affected households on 28 April. Development of a wider response plan has started, anticipating further flooding during the current rainy season, as these areas of chronically flood-prone. Even as the flooding occurred, humanitarian partners had been discussing planned action to be taken with the local government to prepare a flood mitigation plan for the affected villages. Nearby, Shekosh town was also hit by heavy storms on 17 and 28 April, affecting 280 families in the town and an additional 50 families in nearby villages. Collapsed water supply systems, latrine facilities and school facilities were among the damage reported. For more information, contact: ocha- [email protected] Refugee Update New arrivals from Sudan’s Blue Nile State continue to be received in Beneshangul Gumuz Region, with the last couple months having seen well organized refugee movements, with new arrivals bringing their livestock and large amounts of personal belongings with them. A spike in new arrivals was recorded in April, with some 3,000 people crossing the border into Ethiopia. In the first two weeks of May, meanwhile, an additional 2,000 Sudanese have arrived in the region. All 5,000 new arrivals have been transferred from border areas to Adimazine transit center, where they have appropriate emergency shelter and are receiving assistance. The Government refugee agency, ARRA, is providing food received from WFP and hot meals to the new arrivals, while UNHCR is distributing non-food items, including jerry cans, kitchen sets and blankets. ARRA is also providing health services and emergency education in the transit centre. In view of the volatile situation in Blue Nile State, UNHCR, ARRA and partners continue to prepare for increased influxes from Sudan in the coming months. For more information, contact: [email protected]