Recent Drought Tendencies in

with millions needing food assistance (right axis, inverted). While the two time series show a good correspondence (r2=0.62) many factors influence food aid needs. Synopsis Chronic and increasing food insecurity • The average number of Ethiopians requiring food aid is growing by more than half a million people per year. • These chronic and increasing aid requirements may soon extend beyond the capacity of early warning systems. Recent declines in rainfall in water-insecure eastern and southern Ethiopia • In some dry or heavily populated regions in the east and south water supplies and food productio