OUR CHANGING PLANET
The U.S. Climate Change Science Program
for Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005

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Agency for International Development

Principal Areas of Focus

Through its Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET), USAID provides decisionmakers, both in the United States and in other parts of the world, with information designed to inform decisions and more effectively respond to drought and food insecurity. In the past, FEWS NET focused activities in 18 drought-prone countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. As of 2003, FEWS NET began expanding coverage to selected countries of Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. In addition to monitoring a wide variety of socio-economic indicators to identify levels of food insecurity, FEWS NET monitors and analyzes remotely-sensed data and ground-based meteorological, crop, and rangeland observations to track the progress of rainy seasons and crop production in semi-arid regions, in order to identify early indications of reduced food availability and access. 

Program Highlights for FY 2004 and FY 2005

In FY 2004, FEWS NET will begin providing a broad range of monitoring and analyses of food insecurity conditions in 20 countries in Africa, three countries of Central America, as well as in Haiti and Afghanistan. In addition to its assessment activities in each country, FEWS NET is committed to building the capacity of local institutions that will take over those functions in the future. In 2004, FEWS NET will likely complete the indigenization of its field staff in Africa, and will begin moving experienced Africa early warning staff into programs on other continents.