US pledges $88m in food aid to Ethiopia

El Nino climate phenomenon has deepened a severe drought in Ethiopia

The US government has announced $88m to help feed hungry people in drought-stricken areas of Ethiopia, bringing the total amount of humanitarian aid to the country in 2015 to more than $435m. The Ethiopian government is appealing for $1.4bn from the international community to help feed more than 10 million people. The US aid, announced on Friday, will provide more than 116 000 metric tons of relief food aid to address the needs of 2.6 million people in 74 districts.
The East African country is currently facing a humanitarian crisis caused by below normal rainfalls in many parts of the country. The El Nino weather phenomenon has aggravated the situation and has caused low agricultural productivity and the deaths of domestic animals.