Ethiopia
Drought, 03 Dec 2020
| Allocation | $19,996,683 |
|---|---|
| Emergency type | Drought |
| Window | Rapid Response |
| Recipient UN Agencies | FAO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO |
| Group(s) of people targeted | Host communities, Internally displaced persons, Other affected persons |
| People reached | 903,275 |
| Status | Report Available |
| Due dates | | |
| Allocation code | 20-RR-ETH-46461 |
| Title | Ethiopia RR Application Dec 2020 (Anticipatory Action - Drought) |
Overview of the humanitarian situation
On 7 December, updated forecasts indicated that the trigger for activation of the anticipatory action (AA) framework had been reached. According to the forecasts, the pre-agreed food insecurity thresholds had been met in multiple regions and the pre-agreed drought thresholds for the spring rains had been met for Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region (SNNPR). Additionally, while not fully having been met at the time, the drought thresholds were very close to being met for Afar, Oromia and Somali regions. This led to the two-stage activation of the pilot, with activities with longer lead times and those requiring an earlier implementation immediately activated. A second set of activities scheduled to take place later was only activated towards the end of February 2021, based on rainfall projections continuing to predict below-average rainfall for several areas in Ethiopia and the food security thresholds continually being met for the same regions as in December (Afar, Oromia, Somali, SNNP) mainly due to the poor performance of the October-December rains and expected below-average rains for March-May 2021. According to FEWS Net, the March to May gu/genna rainfall in southern and southeastern pastoral areas was erratic, with most rainfall only occurring in late April and early May. Rainfall performance for the March to May diraac/sugum season in northern pastoral areas was extremely poor. Drought conditions were present across much of Afar, northern and western areas of the Somali Region, and parts of eastern Oromia at the end of the season despite the exceptionally heavy rainfall in late April and early May.
CERF-funded assistance
Following the triggering of the Anticipatory Action Framework, the Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia together with the Cluster Leads Agencies proposed a two-stage or phased activation approach whereas a set of time-critical activities with longer lead times were funded by CERF in December 2020 and a second set of activities, scheduled to be implemented later, were funded by CERF in March 2021, following re-confirmation of forecast below-average rainfall for the March-June season. This phased approach allowed action as early as necessary and with the highest confidence possible. In total, CERF provided $20 million ($13.2 million in December 2020 and $6.8 million in March 2021) to support anticipatory activities in the agriculture, education, health, nutrition, protection and water and hygiene sectors, reaching 903,275 people, including 214,440 women, 189,791 men, 254,166 girls, 244,878 boys and 91,512 people living with disabilities before the full effects of the drought could be felt.
CERFs Strategic Added Value
The implementation of the CERF Anticipatory Action (AA) pilot proposed to recipient agencies and partners a mindset shift. Despite some delays and necessary flexibility applied to the plans endorsed with the Anticipatory Action Framework for Drought in Ethiopia, this is precisely what the CERF allocation enabled humanitarian partners to achieve. Through the pre-arranged financing, CERF provided timely funding, which enabled agencies to take action before the full effects of the drought could materialize. Agencies recognized that AA and regular response are different types of programming and noted in the AAR that the implementation of the pilot required a unique programming and management mindset. They also recognized the essential aspect of timeliness in this type of intervention. At a time when Ethiopia is facing a drought with a third consecutive rainy season, with the possibility of a fourth looming in the horizon, the lessons and the results of the anticipatory actions implemented through this CERF allocation are certainly contributing to ensuring affected communities have a better chance at responding to such shocks in the future. Thanks to CERF funds, and to the detailed planning included in the Anticipatory Action Framework, partners included in the allocation were able to provide timely assistance to communities in order to support efforts to mitigate the effects of the anticipated drought. By acting before the actual onset of the drought, communities were able to make better choices for their families and to support their livelihoods, before it would be too late. During the After-Action Review session, participants agreed that the pilot fostered more coordination opportunities among agencies implementing projects under the allocation, even if there is still potential for more coordination in the future.