Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald)
WFP warns of pipeline break in Ethiopia by June; further ration cuts reported amid funding gaps
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) says “further cuts may be necessary” as it is “anticipating a pipeline break in June 2025,” warning that ongoing funding shortfalls are constraining its ability to sustain food assistance in Ethiopia.
In its April country brief, WFP stated it was “compelled to reduce ration size back to 65 percent of the standard ration from 80 percent in February,” following a temporary increase. The current ration consists of “9 kg of cereals, 1 kg of pulses and 1.1 kg of oil.”
Ration reductions have also been applied to refugee operations. WFP said it “will reduce the ration size from 60 percent of the standard food basket in April to 50 percent in May” due to funding constraints.
The agency further warned that it is “facing imminent pipeline breaks in its nutrition operation,” citing a shortage of “super cereal.”
In its April relief response, WFP reported reaching “881,430 people in HEA phase 4 and 5 and Internally Displaced People (IDP) in the #Afar, #Somali and #Tigray regions,” achieving “93 percent of the April target of 951,810 people,” with 8,995 metric tons of food distributed.
WFP also assisted “797,370 refugees across 29 camps and sites,” reaching 92 percent of its monthly target. However, it said it “reached only 41 percent of the targeted people in refugee camps with nutrition support due to a shortage of nutrition food in the country.”
“Ethiopia continues to experience conflict, drought, flooding, and inflation, exacerbating food insecurity,” WFP said. “While the peace agreement ended active conflict in the Tigray region, armed clashes in other regions, particularly in #Amhara and #Oromia,” it added, “have increased risks and costs for WFP, making it more challenging to deliver food safely and on time to the most vulnerable populations.”
The World Food Programme (WFP) previously announced the suspension of its nutrition treatment programmes for 650,000 malnourished women and children starting in May, citing what it described as a “devastating” funding shortfall.
Source፡WFP
