New Project in Africa Addresses Famine Relief

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 5, 2000 Chemonics International has been awarded a $35-million project aimed at developing a famine early warning system in sub-Saharan Africa.

The five-year USAID-funded Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) focuses on "empowering Africans to find African-led solutions to African-identified food insecurity problems," according to Chemonics program manager Stephen Walls. It works in 17 African countries, with regional offices in Bamako, Harare, and Nairobi.

"FEWS NET is the most important contract win of the decade," said Candace Conrad, senior vice president of Chemonics' Africa/Asia division. The project serves as "an essential element in Africa's capacity to predict, help prevent, and help respond to food crises. To make famine early warning sustainable in an era of declining donor response, FEWS NET expands that capacity by emphasizing strengthened African-led information networks and improved food targeting and response planning."

The project continues work begun in the 1990s to monitor climate, crop, livestock, and cereal market conditions in an effort to analyze food availability and accessibility over time. In addition, FEWS NET will collect baseline information on household food economy, which will be used to facilitate relief efforts in response to food crises. The Food Economy Group, a Chemonics subcontractor, will spearhead this activity.

The new project will also strengthen information-sharing among governments, donors, and other organizations throughout Africa. "With resources decreasing, governments and donors are beginning to realize that coordination and cooperation are key to achieving food security goals," said Conrad.

A project Web site will hold a pivotal position in this collaboration, serving as the primary vehicle for communicating timely food security information to USAID and other partners. Field staff will upload monthly updates and link viewers to various data products, such as satellite imagery, rainfall data, production statistics, and market price data.

Chemonics International was founded in 1975 to promote sustainable growth and better living standards. Headquartered in Washington, DC, and with offices in more than 40 locations around the world, the firm offers consulting services in finance, business, governance, and the environment.

For more information, call Heather Peck at 202-955-7433.