Afarvänner i Sverige
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Afarvänner i Sverige
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QAFAR PASTORALIST DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION QAFAR DACARSITTO DADALIH EGLA
Update of the Current Drought Crisis and Ongoing Perception of Need March 25th, 2005
Information for this report was collected from APDA field workers in 17 woredas, specific drought intervention going on in Teeru, Zone 24 and Barahale, Zone 2 and from a joint drought assessment conducted by the government and APDA in Eli Daar, Zone 1 from March 17th to 19th.
As of early March, rain began to fall in Zone 3. This rain then moved up falling in other zones of the region from March 6th to 18th. The rain distribution is characterized as following: - The rain is considered somewhat early to mark the season known as ‘Suggum’ or the short rains - Aside from a couple of storms that fell more widely, storms were mostly localized leaving pockets of dry in certain areas.
Thus the uneven distribution in general is as follows: a) Zone 3 and parts of Zone 5 have had adequate rains: in Zone 3 almost universally while in Zone 5 Talalak has sporadic rainfall b) Zone 4 has received good rainfall aside from Yallo Woreda in the north west where rain was less c) In Zone 2, rain has fallen well in Konnaba, the western part of Barahale and the southern part of Dallol while Aba’ala, Erebti had had relief in some areas. Afdeera did not receive this rain but got relief from rain falling on January 20th . d) Finally Zone 1: Sifra, Assayita and Mille have fairly good coverage, the large grazing area of Geega received rain and some districts in the notoriously dry north west of Dubte Woreda and Eli Daar.
The districts now without rain and with remaining thirst are a) North of Eli Daar Woreda surrounding Buure where APDA is delivering water using 3 tankers; b) Surrounds of Eli Daar town where pastoralists from up to 4 and 6 hours walk away are putting pressure on the town wells that, as seen in the above- mentioned drought assessment are poorly functioning. Around 85 households are walking to get this water. c) Communities along the Afdeera Road assisted by water tankering remains in need. North of Guyah, rain did not fall. Thus communities as far north as Tasuuli (103kms from Sardo), Sodonta (140 kms from Sardo) are also thirsty. Inland from this road on community – built feeder roads, people of Galablu, Musle, Sooma are still in need.
a) Movement Again, movement is about to reach pitch – level. Animals are returning from the Kammise district, Chefa Valley since there farming has started; as soon as sufficient pasture has rejuvenated in Geega, Mille and Sifra districts, the vast displaced herds (particularly cattle and camels) now in Teeru Zone 4 will begin returning. As mentioned before, herd and household movement in this crisis is unprecedented: cattle herders from Assayta are as far as Teeru and the borders of Yallo Woreda, some 400 kilometers from their home grazing
In Eli Daar Woreda, people claiming total destitution are beginning to arrive in the administration center. Sixteen families are currently in Eli Daar town from Aba’a and they say others are on the road.
b) Animal health The overriding issue continues to be malnutrition in the herd. As expected, when the rain fell, weak and small animals died en masse. Actual overall losses are not yet known but it will be unprecedented. In Teeru, 95% of the cattle herd is lost and around 55% of the sheep. Other Zone 4 woredas, Sifra and Mille have suffered massive cattle death. A ‘well – off’ herdsman will now be reckoned in terms of tens, not hundreds.
Pasteurlosis and internal parasites continues to plague the herd. With Action Contre le Faim’s new project, free animal treatment is covering Zone 4 and 3 woredas of Zone 1.
c) Human health Due to the critical household food situation, human health is greatly endangered as well as the poor sanitary situation of so many carcasses. People are drinking contaminated water. While, there are no particular disease outbreaks to report, APDA is in high alert and has a team of health workers in Teeru and wants to for a similar team to work in Awra Woreda. Malaria will immediately increase, diarrhea is an extreme threat. Also, respiratory tract infections are apparent due to stress, cold and wet conditions. Measles had broken out in 4 kebeles of Assaiyta and was seen in one kebele of Teeru. There is a plan for a region-wide measles campaign.
d) Pasture Ironically, the best pasture situation is in Teeru, now used as relief grazing by vast herds from Zone 1 as mentioned above. It can be expected that pasture will rejuvenate where the rain fell over the next 10 days. In most cases however, animals are so very weak, supplementary feeding is vitally needed.
While numbers requiring food assistance were increased in January to around 560,000 people for the region, the practical situation in the household is greatly disturbing. In Eli Daar Woreda, for example, the woreda officials report 42,000 people are in need and they receive sufficient for 25,000 people. Moreover, the grain received is maize that is difficult to grind and poorly palatable for children. At the distribution level, authorities comprised to issue 10 kilograms of maize per household for 1 month. Faffa and oil are in extremely insignificant amounts to assist.[1] In Teeru, trucks have not delivered relief food for now on 2 months. This emphasizes the need and logic of repairing the short – access road from Semara to Digdiga (southern Teeru), a distance of 120 kilometers that bypasses bad road in Awra Woreda. In short, people are hungry. The recent good news is DPP &FSC have apparently agreed to boost the beneficiary number by a further 80,000.[2]
The immediate needs still to be met: a) Continue to address thirst with water tankering b) Adequate household food support until milk becomes available c) Try to reduce further destitution through strategically targeted animal feeding and treatment d) Carcass – burning: APDA is doing this through its paravets and health workers in Teeru, parts of Dubte and Eli Daar but the problem is in most woredas of Zones 1,2, and 4. Therefore the organization is now asking the Afar language radio broadcasts to promote the activity. e) Constant health and nutrition monitoring
In the medium term: f) The actual status of destitution should be established g) The production, storage and use of fodder should be introduced to the community as part of their coping mechanism h) Water catchments should be dug i) The idea of having a smaller, healthier, marketable herd should be promoted through available veterinary services and animal marketing
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Last changed: 04 juli 2011 |
