afrol News, 12 September - British Red Cross has launched an appeal to provide emergency aid to thousands of Ethiopian children facing acute malnutrition. Ethiopian government estimates that 4.7 million people are affected.

Red Cross food security and livelihoods advisor Mary Atkinson said in worst-affected areas in southern Ethiopia people are very poor and many struggle to get enough food even in a better year. "When harvests fail, as they have this year, they have few resources to fall back on," she said.

Recent food prices hike and poor rain season in southern and eastern parts of Ethiopia, which are country's agricultural sites have resulted in serious food shortages in country which led to food prices increase to around 300% in Ethiopia, reports have shown.

Currently, Ethiopian Red Cross supported by International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, is running an operation to meet needs of 76,000 people in southern Ethiopia, Ms Atkinson said.

According to Ms Atkinson, British Red Cross has contributed £293,000 to this relief operation, but said more funding is needed in order to provide sufficient emergency food and relief distributions.

Earlier this week United Nations expressed concerns on deteriorating food security situation in Ethiopia following reports of severe drought conditions throughout the country.

Ethiopia has appealed for US $325-million dollar humanitarian assistance, and according to reports the appeal has been well funded at over 60 percent.

UN said more than four million Ethiopians need emergency assistance and a further eight million need immediate food relief, indicating that severe floods that hit Ethiopia last year, destroying most of the food crops and successive drought has worsened the situation.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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