Current Situation:

While the international response to the hunger crisis in Africa has averted famine in some areas, nearly 40 million people are still in urgent need of food assistance throughout the continent. Currently a focus of the crisis lies in Ethiopia, where more than 12 million people are without adequate food — an increase of 1 million people since November 2002. The current food shortage has been caused by a combination of factors including prolonged drought and subsequent crop failure, explosive population growth, and HIV/AIDS, which was not a factor during the famine of the mid-1980's. In addition, lack of development has been a key factor in Ethiopia's ongoing battle with hunger. Because the country relies entirely on the seasonal rains for its water, it is highly vulnerable to the cycle of drought and flooding that has devastated parts of Africa in recent years. The recent flooding has displaced more than 100,000 people, contributed to the spread of disease in the region, and rendered inaccessible some areas in need of food assistance.

Catholic Relief Services Responds:

CRS has been working in Ethiopia since 1958 and continues to play a leadership role in securing resources to address the food crisis in Africa. CRS successfully advocated for a total of $1.819 billion for the Food for Peace Title II program in the regular fiscal year 2003 omnibus spending bill and emergency wartime supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal year 2003. This figure includes $1.5 billion in general Title II food aid and $250 million in emergency supplemental food aid for Africa as well as an additional $69 million to replenish a food reserve used to assist in emergencies worldwide. As the appropriations process for fiscal year 2004 gets underway in Congress, CRS is shifting its focus to trying to secure funding for humanitarian and development assistance programs that will enable countries like Ethiopia to avoid severe food insecurity in the future.

In conjunction with partner organizations, CRS is providing food rations to over 4 million beneficiaries throughout Ethiopia. CRS partners have supported 29 seed fairs, providing 9,878 families with seed for various crops for the current planting season and will support 25 additional fairs prior to the next planting season. In addition, CRS is supporting emergency water and sanitation activities and has begun identifying sites to construct wells and collect water.

Action Needed:

• Bishop Wilton Gregory, president of the USCCB, sent a letter to all ordinaries in January 2003, in which he called on his fellow bishops to respond to the crisis in Africa and to support the efforts of CRS. Contact your bishop to discuss ways to involve parishes and other institutions in your dioceses in the response to this crisis.
• Continue to pray for the people of Africa and for those around the world who suffer from malnutrition, disease and natural disasters.
• CRS has developed materials including bulletin inserts, prayers of the faithful and information sheets that are available on the DD resource page at www.catholicrelief.org/ddinfo. .
• This is a vast emergency that is getting little media attention. Consult your diocesan media outlets (newspaper, radio, television) to strategize ways through which you can highlight the situation and raise awareness with people in your diocese. Encourage your media outlets to contact our communications office at CRS for up-to-date information and to obtain stories direct from the overseas field. .
• CRS is accepting monetary contributions to assist with the emergency relief and development activities throughout Africa. Encourage people in your diocese to make a donation. Please ensure the checks are clearly marked ("Africa in Crisis") and send contributions to CRS. Contributions collected at the diocesan level can be sent to Catholic Relief Services, P.O. Box 17220, Baltimore, MD 21298-9663. Parishes and individuals can send contributions directly to CRS at Catholic Relief Services, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090. .

Thank you for your support and assistance in helping us respond to the devastating effects of this famine on our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia.

For more information, please contact Michelle Harrington at 410.951.7391.