Horn of Africa Drought: Pastoralist communities are hardest hit
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 Jan 27 2006 As the number of people directly affected by the current drought in the Horn of Africa keeps on rising—reaching approximately 6 million people in four countries—CARE is scaling up its response and planning ahead in case of additional rain failure over the coming months. |
Posted By Mohamed Ghalib. |
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Water, food and other life-saving interventions are in the forefront, paving the way to more sustainable efforts like feeding centers, economic alternatives for cattle herders, improved irrigation schemes and diversified crop production.
"Vulnerability is highest among the pastoralist communities, whose livestock losses are mounting in the drought affected areas of Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibuti," says Dan Maxwell, Deputy Regional Director for CARE in East and Central Africa. "The course of the crisis depends on the extent to which the March and April rains can regenerate pastures for animal grazing and water sources for both animals and people."
The drought is particularly acute in Somaliawhere approximately 2 million people are estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance and where the Food Security Analysis Unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization, a UN agency, has stated there is a "moderate risk of a famine situation." Gedo, Middle Juba and Bakool regions are among the worst affected areas of the country.
Continued insecurity in parts of Somalia is also exacerbating the impact of the current drought, as confirmed by a recent CARE study on the root causes of poverty and livelihood insecurity in the Gedo region. "Scarce grazing and water resources are likely to intensify conflict in the short-term," explains Lex Kassenberg, CARE Country Director for Somalia. "Let's not underestimate the fact that much of the affected area, especially the Gedo region, has been in famine or near famine conditions on and off for the past five years."
Two thirds of the people in need of assistance in Somalia live in the southern part of the country, while the rest are in Somaliland(northeast). Both pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Somaliaare affected by the current drought. CARE is operational in most of the affected areas in Somalia, and projects to deliver food aid to at least 650,000 people over the next six months. The CARE office in Somaliacontinues to focus on programs that address the underlying causes of food insecurity. "In this fragile environment it is critical to diversify income opportunities, especially for the women, because they are the ones who stay behind with the children and the elders when the men move with the cattle herds," explains Kassenberg.
In Kenya, where the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance is expected to rise to 2.5 million by next month, CARE is the lead agency for emergency response in the Garissa District, in the NorthEasternProvince. Despite food surpluses in certain parts of the country, notably the Rift Valley and WesternProvince, the sheer isolation of drought affected areas and the regional scope of the crisis make it challenging to effectively offset the food shortage.
In Kenya CARE is focusing on water tinkering –the transport of water in large tanks–to the most vulnerable communities in the Garissa district. CARE is about to start transporting water to three out of ten of the most needy communities in Garissa, effectively reaching over 9,000 people. Though the shortfall remains great—monetarily speaking about 3 million USD—CARE is well positioned to provide speedy relief and coordinate with other organizations.
According to Mohammed Qazilbash, Senior Program Manager for CARE in Kenya, it is important to provide food and water as close as possible to the communities in need so that people are not obliged to travel far and, in that process, loose their physical strength. "To avoid the escalation of cross-border tension, it is also imperative that aid to Kenya, Somaliaand Ethiopiais provided in a concerted and coordinated manner."
A total of 2.6 million people are in need of emergency assistance in Ethiopia alone, according to UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA). Of these 1.7 million livestock dependent people face extreme food insecurity, especially in the eastern Oromiya Region. In addition to the growing crisis in pastoralist areas, there are lowlands and midland cropping areas still recovering from earlier droughts that also face a dire situation and need support. The lack of food and water is weakening people's immune system and therefore contributing to the rise in localized measles and meningitis outbreaks.
CARE is operational in both of the hardest hit areas, East and West Harage as well as Borena Zone in Southern Oromiya. CARE is particularly well positioned to respond to the crisis in the Borena Zone because of its recently launched Pastoral Livelihood Initiative (PLI), a USAID funded program that seeks to support the pastoralists' capacity to cope during times of drought. The program's emergency response includes provision of water to schools and health clinics, water and supplementary food for livestock, animal health, along with specific interventions on conflict mitigation and livestock management in times of crisis.
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Posted By Mohamed Ghalib.
Email Mohamed Ghalib
:
mghalib@somaliland.net
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