Extra funding sought to meet food needs accounts for most of the increase: food aid has been re-budgeted upwards by 37%, from $1.9 billion to $2.6 billion, in line with the increase in the World Food Programme’s global appeal for 2008. At mid-year, food sector funding amounts to $1.45 billion or 58% of requirements.

In addition to the Consolidated Appeals for protracted crises, there have been six Flash Appeals for suddenonset disasters so far this year (Southern Africa, Myanmar, Kenya, Madagascar, Tajikistan and Bolivia).

To date in 2008, donors have given $2.9 billion to the Consolidated and Flash Appeals, equalling 46% of funding requirements. This is an improvement compared to the mid-point of previous years (43% in 2007, 36% in 2006), which can be attributed both to a better response by donors and to support from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for chronic under-funded emergencies.

“Rapid action by donors is more essential this year than ever. Higher food and fuel costs, an increasing number of food-insecure people, and the impact of climate change have already forced the upwards revision of several appeals or the issue of new appeals," said John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. "Despite the challenging global economic situation, we are looking for continued generosity on the part of traditional donors - and I can imagine no better time for new donors to come forward to help the escalating numbers of people in need," he stressed.

The situation in several major humanitarian crises has deteriorated significantly in the first half of 2008 and will require renewed efforts and resources. Instability has worsened in Chad, while in the occupied Palestinian territories Gaza has suffered a virtual quarantine that has cut off much commerce and vital services. Somalis have suffered fresh displacement as fighting continues, and drought has put swathes of the Horn of Africa at risk of famine. In Zimbabwe, even leaving aside the consequences of political violence and tension, the harvest is forecast to be 51% less than last season’s due to adverse rains and lack of farming inputs.

In addition to the Consolidated and Flash Appeals, there are other humanitarian or transitional appeals and aid plans for Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste and Nepal. Requirements for those amount to a further $1.1 billion, of which $770 million has been funded.

Full information on all of these crises can be found in the appeal documents, which are available at www.humanitarianappeal.net. More details on funding per crisis, including donor totals can be found on the Financial Tracking Service on www.reliefweb.int/fts