USGCRP-Participating US Agencies
Agency for International Development

Principal Areas of Focus

The Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) is an innovative application of science to efforts to alleviate risks related to existing climate variability or the potential for climate change. Through FEWS NET, USAID provides decisionmakers—both in the United States and in other parts of the world—with information designed to inform decisions that 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 socioeconomic 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 2006

In FY 2006, FEWS NET will continue to provide seasonal monitoring in relationship to analyses of food insecurity conditions in 20 countries in Africa and three countries in Central America, as well as in Haiti and Afghanistan. A major element of this work is strengthening information networks that collect and analyze data to reveal intra- and interannual weather variability trends as they relate to longer term climate variability.