AFAR PASTORALIST DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
QAFAR DACARSITTO DADALIH EGLA
afarpda@yahoo.com, afarpastoral@ethionet.et,www.apdaethiopia.org
(251)
011 5159787 (251) 0911 642575/ 0911 246639 Fax
(251) 011 5538820 Field Office, Logya (25133) 5500002
The Region in ‘Alert’ for Major Drought
Emergency
In
summary:
Thirst, increasingly widespread animal diseases and
significant, accompanying herd loss, pockets of infant and maternal malnutrition
are being reported against the back-drop of universal community fear of hunger
due to the extreme hike of grain and general food prices: all a prelude
to actual widespread emergency. Aside from the 2 days of storms in western Afar
Region affecting ‘Adda’ar (former western Mille), Sifra, Uwwa, part of Awra,
part of Teeru and pockets in Zone 3, the rest of the region has had no rain
since late September.
There is now extreme thirst in Eli Da’ar (north-east
of the region) extending to adjoining communities in Kori (former north-western
Dubte). Communities are sending desperate messages of their need for
transported water. Communities of central eastern Eli Da’ar have moved their
remaining animals some 50 kilometers west into the Immino valley where there is
sub-surface water at the depth of only 2 meters. Their remaining women,
children and elderly are in crying need of immediate water assistance. They
must go up to a full day’s walk for water and those supplies are on the verge
of drying up. In Guluble Af, the community is again increasing with families
coming to the roadside fro the hinterland since their water – sources have
dried up.
All dry areas are reporting animal diseases: clearly
related to the extremely poor condition of the pasture and therefore ‘stress’
related diseases. In northern Eli Daar, mange has broken out in goats. In
Teeru, APDA sent immediate medicines and assisted in the treatment of ticks and
lice and various infectious diseases including CCPP, CBPP, black leg, and
pasteurelosis. Again, in Afdeera, particularly Aytu Ra’a and Yalle Bahe kebele
cattle and sheep are dying at an accelerating rate due to extreme dry condition
of pasture, now great distances to water. The disease outbreak apparently
started in animals that had been brought into Afdeera from Teeru.
Several areas in Awra and Digidiga and Dabayro in
Teeru and in Galaaha, Diiyele and Geraaro in Mille Woreda have reported outbreak
of whooping cough. Health workers undertaking vaccination identified acutely
malnourished under – five year olds in Me’e Dolo and Hiilu kebeles in Eli
Da’ar, areas close to the
In Afdeera, 3 fast transmitted diseases are
particularly troubling small children and the most weak in the community:
chicken pox, mumps and influenza. People are highly weakened by the fact that
grain in their woreda is extremely expensive and also poorly available. Again,
households are going up to 6 hours for water and temperatures are already in
the 40’s. On March 17th, APDA found several households clearly
hungry. Children who had been or were sick with the above – mentioned outbreak
were found to have acute malnutrition. Two trucks of relief grain arrived in
the woreda administration center on March 15th.
There is grave concern that acute watery diarrhea
will break out under such conditions of household vulnerability. There are
unconfirmed reports of 2 child – deaths from an AWD – like sickness in Diyyele
in Mille in early March and 3 cases from one household in Ayro Laf were treated
in
The entire pastoralist community is now in turmoil:
grain prices have doubled and in some areas trebled while the pastoralists have
no strong animals to present for purchase. Fifty kilograms of wheat has sold
for a steady price of 110 to 120:00 ETB for some time. In early March, the
price in Konnaba jumped up to 250:00 ETB in one week; in Afdeera to 400:00 ETB
in Teeru to 300:00 ETB with 220:00 the lowest price offered in the region. It
is clear, people are going to the market expecting one price and then unable to
purchase and going home empty – handed. This requires immediate action in the
most severely affected districts.
Firstly, APDA will involve with the planned DPP &
FSB – led assessment in the coming week. However, meanwhile the organization
wishes to carry out the following activities in response to the reality so far
seen on the ground:
a)
Begin
tankering water at the earliest possible time to a total of 8,463 people in 7
sites in Eli Daar. All sites have birikuts (underground cisterns)
b)
To
keep strict and constant surveillance in the community for evidence of AWD,
malnutrition and other diseases responding, controlling and treating as
necessary.
c)
Continue
to keep make maximum effort to improve EPI (child vaccination) coverage in
remote areas
d)
To give
‘cerefam’ (baby cereal) to identified malnourished children under 2 years and
lentils to identified malnourished child-baring mothers
e)
Continue
distributing animal medicines to local paravets to treat outbreaks to slow down
the death of animals.
APDA is now launching a 6 – months food – for – work
project wherein the community will construct ponds, birikuts, feeder – roads,
rehabilitate pasture and plant grass seed and remove the weed ‘democracy’.
These activities will take place in the most affected kebeles of Awra, Uwwa,
Sifra, ‘Adda’ar and Mille Woreda.
6. Increasing
numbers of refugees coming from
Reports of new influx of refugees in Erebti, Afdeera,
Soddonta and Buure. APDA is planning to send a truck to pick up refugees
stranded in Afdeera where living conditions are particularly extreme and cost
of food is now astronomical (50 kilograms of grain for 400:00).