Morning Briefing

"Rain may be 'significantly' below average in the Horn of Africa's main growing season, potentially threatening a region still recovering from famine in 2011, the Famine Early Warning Systems [FEWS] network reported" in a statement (.pdf) on its website on Tuesday, Bloomberg writes. "Rain from March through May in the region, which includes Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, is expected to begin late and amount to only 60 percent to 85 percent of average, the U.S.-funded provider of food-security warnings" said in the statement, according to Bloomberg (Ruitenberg, 4/4). "The report warned of 'significant impacts on crop production, pasture regeneration, and the replenishment of water resources' in a region that in 2011 suffered one of its worst drought-related food crises in decades," IRIN reports (4/5).