Famine Early Warning and Response: The missing link

Drawing on case studies from Ethiopia, Sudan, Chad, Mali and Kenya (focusing on Turkana district) during the drought years of 1990-91, this book investigates why early warning signals were not translated into timely intervention. It examines, for the first time, the role of early warning information in decision-making processes, particularly within key donor agencies. The book concludes with practical policy recommendations, on who 'owns' early warning information, how it is used and looks at how to speed up the logistics of emergency relief.

Table of Contents:
LIST OF TABLES Vlll LIST OF FIGURES ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS X ACRONYMS xi 1: The Missing Link 1 Introduction 1 Understanding famine 3 Early warning 4 Famine prevention: the relief response 5 The Sahel and Horn of Africa: conditions ripe for famine 6 The actors 8 Conclusions 10 2: What are Famine Early-warning Systems? 12 Introduction 12 EWS as information systems 12 Information generated by EWS 15 Use of EW information 18 Constraints to the use of EW information 19 Conclusions 24 3: The International Relief System 26 Introduction 26 Preventing famine: whose responsibility? 27 What is the international relief system? 28 Profile of four donor agencies 30 The political context of emergency aid to Africa in 1990-91 33 Sources of EW information used by donor agencies 36 Influence of the media 41 Influence of formal political channels 43 Making decisions about the relief response 44 Executing decisions: the relief response 48 Donor co-ordination 50 Conclusions 51 4: Ethiopia 55 Introduction 55 Food security 57 The EW/response system 61 The story of EW/response in 1990-91 66 Evaluating the EW information 71 Use of EW information 74 Implications for the final response 77 Insecurity and the EW/response process 78 Conclusions 80 5: Sudan 84 Introduction 84 Food security in north Sudan, focusing on Darfur 86 The EW/response system 88 The story of EW/response in 1990-91 91 Evaluating the EW information 97 Use of EW information 100 Implications for the final response 105 Insecurity and the EW/response process 106 Conclusions 107 6: Chad 111 Introduction 111 Food security 113 The EW/response system 116 The story of EW/response in 1990-91 119 Evaluating the EW information 124 Use of EW information 128 Implications for the final response 134 Insecurity and the EW/response process 135 Conclusions 135 7: Mali 139 Introduction 139 Food security 141 The EW/response system 144 The story of EW in 1990-91 148 Evaluating the EW information 151 The story of response in 1990-91 151 Use of EW information 155 Implications for the final response 156 Insecurity and the EW/response process 159 Conclusions 160 vi 8: Turkana District, Kenya 165 Introduction 165 Food security 167 The EW response system 175 The Emergency Livestock Purchase Scheme: 1990 178 Food crisis and food-for-work in Kakuma Division: 1991 181 District-wide drought in 1992 183 Evaluating the EW information 185 Use of EW information 189 Implications for the final response in 1990 and 1991 193 Insecurity and the EW/response process 196 Conclusions 197 9: Forging the Link 202 Introduction 202 EWS are necessary 204 Common patterns in how EW information is used 205 Forging the link 208 GENERAL REFERENCES 212 CASE-STUDY REFERENCES 214 Ethiopia 214 Sudan 216 Chad 217 Mali 218 Turkana District, Kenya 219 INDEX 221