Appeal Target: US$ 562,252 Balance Requested: US$ 386,620
Geneva, 15 November 2012
Dear Colleagues,
Since the ACT Tanzania forum raised an alert on the drought situation in Northern part of the country, last July, the situation worsened and the short rains only began one week ago in the Northern part of the country.
The nine regions of Tanzania, namely Arusha, Manyara, Kilimanjaro, Shinyanga, Dodoma, Iringa, Mwanza, Mara and Tabora are caught up in chronic and transitory food insecurity due to poor or no harvests1. Most of these areas are semi-arid and/or share the same ecological zone with the drought prone areas of East Africa. Planted maize during the long “masika” (February - May) rains wilted or became stunted as a result of inadequate moisture due to the persistently delayed, uneven and erratic rains. Food prices have risen to record levels, leaving vulnerable populations, agriculturists, pastoralists and petty hawkers without ability to purchase food during the critical planting period. The price of cereals in the local markets is Tshs1, 000 up from Tshs 300.
This ACT response will provide immediate assistance to 10,000 households with a three months ration of the staple food and provide drought resistant seeds to 2,500 farming households during this planting period with an expectation to harvest in March 2013. The other livestock keeping beneficiaries will be included in the COS/ELCT program “Sustainable Livelihoods and Environmental Protection” which promotes sustainable livestock methods. The appeal will be implemented in five months and has a target of US$ 562,252. US$ 175,000 has already been pledged and the balance requested from ACT Alliance is US$ 386,620. The requesting member is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) who will also lead the response.
ACT forum members in Tanzania include: Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT), Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service (TCRS), Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), Church World Service (CWS), Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission (FELM).