Period covered by this Final Report: 15 October 2008 - 31 May 2013
Summary:
Responding to a situation in 2008, where populations in large areas of Kenya and the Horn of Africa were facing an exceptional humanitarian crisis, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and National Societies in the affected countries launched an “Exceptional Food Security Crisis” emergency appeal. This was to provide urgent food assistance and a range of complementary interventions to combat very high global acute malnutrition levels and threats to coping mechanisms. The combined effect of high worldwide food prices and a crippling drought were seriously jeopardizing the lives, livelihoods, and dignity of up to 20 million people in both rural and urban communities. The affected population was those already living on the margins of survival due to conflict, displacement and chronic poverty.
With conditions in the Horn of Africa deteriorating significantly in many areas (most notably in Kenya) in 2009, the emergency appeal was substantially revised. The main changes were a significant increase in activities in Kenya (across all sectors, but particularly with respect to food), with a reduction in food activities in Ethiopia as prompted by the fact that distributions had to be completed before the arrival of the Belg harvest in the local markets (so as not to undermine local farmers or markets). Other emergency interventions continued in a similar vein as initially envisaged. Across all of the appeal countries, sectors supported in the emergency phase included food assistance, emergency health and care and emergency water, sanitation and hygiene promotion.
