Emergency Nutrition Response for vulnerable communities in SNNP Region, Ethiopia Back-to-back seasons of near non-existent rainfall in 2015, exacerbated by the strongest El Niño phenomenon on record in the same year, led to the worst drought for many decades in Ethiopia in 2016  leaving high levels of food insecurity and malnutrition in its wake. The residual effects of the El Niño drought are expected to be felt throughout 2017 and at the same time, eastern and southern Ethiopia is in the grip of a new drought, as a result of failed Spring and Autumn 2016 rains, this is due to the negative Indian Ocean Dipole (La Niña). This drought has increased severe acute malnutrition (SAM) rates, affecting especially children under five, always the most vulnerable group in the community. 
Admission data from January to April 2017 for SAM was 20% higher than anticipated with the situation deteriorating across the southern drought belt, as well in several belg reliant zones of SNNPR, Afar, East and West Hararghe, Arsi, Guji (Oromia), and parts of Amhara. 

The government, multi-agency and multi-sector June 2017 country needs assessment, confirmed under-performance of the belg harvest and proposed the addition of 1.7 million people to the relief food caseload - increasing the number to over 9.5 million. 

In addition the Fall Armyworm infestation, particularly affecting the maize crops, continues to destroy Meher crops across 233 woredas in six regions.  According to the UN Humanitarian bulletin June 2017, the pest has already affected more than 145,000 hectares of maize cropland, mostly in traditionally surplus producing and densely populated areas. The implication of this loss is multilayered, impacting household food security and national grain reserve as well as potentially impacting grain exports. 
The recent June nutrition hotspot woreda classification shows an increase in Priority One (P1) woredas up from 192 (December 2016) to 228 (July 2017). Overall (P1, P2 and P3) the increase is from 454 to 461. Of the total hotspot priority one and hotspot priority two Woredas, 79 Hotspot priority one Woredas and 121 hostpot priority two Woredas are not covered by any partners. Oromia and SNNP Regions have the largest number of Woredas not covered by partners and 50% and 75% of the hotspot Woredas in Oromia and SNNPR regions respectively have gaps in humanitarian response.  

With funding from various donors, GOAL has facilitated a Community-based Management of Malnutrition (CMAM) program since 2005, aimed at increasing the capacity of local government and community structures to prevent, mitigate, and respond to the impacts of malnutrition across targeted woredas in Ethiopia. CMAM supports a system that treats malnutrition but also raises awareness of service availability which brings children timely treatment before further complications and therefore reduces mortality. This is reflected in the high recovery rate (97.6%) achieved to date in GOAL's nutrition programmes. 

This proposed project will support CMAM in 4 woredas: Wonago (Gedeo Zone), Kemba (Gamo Gofa Zone), Misrak Badawach and Mirab Badawacho (Hadiya Zone) of SNNP Region. GOAL will implement three components of CMAM: Treatment of severe acute malnutrition through Out-Patient Therapeutic Feeding Programmes, and Stabilisation Centres, and Community Mobilization and Sensitisation. Training will be conducted for health extension workers and health workers on the management of acute malnutrition and on Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices. A total of 400 Health Development Army workers will be trained on community mobilization. Through this grant GOAL will strengthen 125 OTP, and 22 Stabilization centers providing a service to approximately 1,324 severely acutely malnourished children under five. 

OTPs and SCs will be strengthened/established in 4 woredas as follows:
Misrak Badawacho - 41 OTP, 7 SC
Mirab Badawacho -  22 OTP, 3 SC
Wonago - 21 OTP, 5 SC 
Kemba - 41 OTP, 7 SC