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Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, humanitarian food assistance needs in Zimbabwe in 2020 were already significantly higher than usual due to consecutive years of drought and poor and deteriorating macroeconomic conditions. COVID-19 and measures to prevent the spread of the disease have further reduced urban and rural poor households’ already limited income-earning potential. Depressed income, coupled with extremely high food prices, is restricting poor households’ capacity to obtain access to sufficient food, most notably among market-dependent poor households in deficit-producing agricultural areas and urban centers. FEWS NET anticipates the population in need of humanitarian food assistance through the January to March 2021 peak of the lean season will be notably higher than typical and similar to that of the January to March 2020 peak of the lean season. The government of Zimbabwe and humanitarian partners should prepare for sustained heightened assistance needs through at least early 2021; though above-average assistance needs are still likely after the harvest starting in April, due to continued poor economic conditions.

The COVID-19 pandemic, and measures implemented in Ethiopia to slow its spread, have significantly constrained many poor households’ access to cash income. Many
poor households are gradually re-engaging in income generating activities despite continued movement restrictions; however, the broader economic slowdown has placed limits on their capacity to earn income. Movement restrictions have also negatively affected planting, which – alongside desert locusts – have driven moderate declines in belg production and are expected to result in slight reductions in meher production. These impacts — in combination with other shocks, including high food prices, conflict, and the forecast for belowaverage Octoberto December deyrrains — will constrain food access for millions of poor households in Ethiopia, driving above-average assistance needs through at least early 2021. The Government of Ethiopia and humanitarian partners should prepare for continued high assistance needs, with populations of greatest concern in parts of eastern Oromia and southern and southeastern pastoral areas.

More than 113 million people across 53 countries experienced acute hunger requiring urgent food, nutrition and livelihoods assistance (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) in 2018.

In 2017, almost 124 million people across 51 countries and territories faced Crisis levels of acute food insecurity or worse and required urgent humanitarian action.