This study reviews the practice of Emergency Needs Assessment (ENA) in Ethiopia as it relates to food security, with a view to informing efforts by the World Food Programme (WFP) to improve ENA practice globally. It considers the question of overall rigour in needs estimation, and explores the ability of assessments to analyse the role of markets, non-food response options, chronic and transitory needs and the impact of food aid.

The report finds that all actors - the Government of Ethiopia, donors, implementing agencies and beneficiaries - should demand evidence and sound analysis to inform decisions about food security policies and appropriate forms of intervention. It is argued that they should be prepared to challenge assessment findings on the grounds of technical rigour. In this regard, the process would benefit from incentive/disincentive mechanisms that acknowledge and reward sound practice. Without this consistent pressure and demand for sound analysis, it is argued that even the most credible, evidence-based methodologies will be easily sidelined.