Saving lives through livelihoods: critical gaps in the response to the drought in the Greater Horn of Africa
2006
This Briefing Note reviews the extent of emergency livelihoods responses during the most recent drought and resulting food crisis in the Horn of Africa. Drawing on secondary data and interviews with national and international actors in affected areas, it asks why accurate and timely early warning did not lead to a rapid and appropriate response to mitigate the drought’s effects, and highlights how inadequate contingency planning, limited capacity in livelihoods programming and inflexible funding mechanisms resulted in delays and deficiencies in livelihoods interventions, and the predominance of food assistance in the emergency response.One key lesson of this crisis is that, where agencies had a long-term presence and were flexible in redeploying funds earmarked for long-term activities, livelihoods interventions were implemented in a timely manner. The brief argues that: technical capacity and funding flexibility must become the norm if livelihoods are to be protected in future emergencies relevant national preparedness plans need to be in place in contexts where vulnerability is chronic, and where acute crises are likely to develop there must be investment in national capacity to implement emergency livelihoods programming on a large scale such as contingency funds at the local, bilateral and multinational level
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