(Ecofin Agency) - Ethiopia needs a funding of $500 million by the end of April 2016 to fight hunger. According to the U.N World Food Programme (WFP) who made the announcement, this sum will be used to support 10.2 million people facing critical food shortages this year.

The institution indicated that the country which is experiencing its worst drought since 1984 could be overwhelmed despite executive’s efforts to overcome it. “We are on the cliff’s edge as we speak,” WFP director Ethiopia John Aylieff said. Partners from USA, Canada and Europe have joined the Ethiopian government which has already disbursed $300 million to mitigate the impact of drought.

Haunted by the terrifying memory of the 1984 crisis, Dessalegn tried to provide a diligent solution by launching various initiatives such as the Productive Safety Net Programme which supported 7.9 million people facing critical food insecurity, by providing food or money in exchange for performing community work. “Unless we can sustain a solid relief response in Ethiopia, we risk going back to a situation of spiking severe acute malnutrition,” John Aylieff said.

Aaron Akinocho