1. Report Title: Drought Situation Report in Somali National Regional State

2. Project Holder: Ogaden Welfare Society

3. Legal Status: Association

4. Contact Person:
Mahamoud Abdi Ahmed, Executive Director
P.O.Box 2189
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Ogaden Welfare Society would like to pass its warm appreciation to those who extended their kind hearted assistance to our severely drought affected community.

The current actual situation is still getting worse than the previous month of July and August. Critical reports are flowing continuously that reveal the severity of the situation particularly on women and children dying of starvation (mostly lactating mothers and children under the age of five.

This has been confirmed and reconfirmed by various assessment teams drawn from regional Disaster Prevention and Preparedness and Labor Affairs Bureau, agricultural bureau and non governmental organizations that includes OWS. According to the assessment teams deployed for a period of one month which hired by WFP as monitor revealed and confirmed that almost one million people are exposed to severe drought. Among the most critically affected people, people living in Liben, Afder, Degahabour and Warder are critically the most affected one.

Compared to the months of July and August with the month of September the prices of Maize, Sorghum and beans have escalated to a higher degree. The same truth holds to the prices of livestock in which the price of camel, cattle and Shoats increased. In the same token the consumable items prices have similar pattern.

The scarcity of water is becoming chronic though there is a promising forecast situation of rain in some zones by the national meteorological service agency the coming month of October.

Generally the current severe situational analysis of weather, crop, water, livestock, market, food and health conditions are included in this report. Recommendation is also forwarded that would alarm government and non- government agencies that would enable them to act promptly by making an early warning. This would certainly assists to rescue many people before things get to uncontrollable and unbearable situations.

3. WEATHER CONDITIONS

The climatic condition of the region is characterized by "Deyr" (Small rainy season which occur from October-November and "Gu" (main rainy season) which occurs from April- June. In semi arid area "GU" rainfall occurs April-June and Karan rainfall occurs July-September which is very significant for rain-fed agriculture.

The situation almost for the last two years was very unfavorable and aggravated the existing situation of catastrophe to serious crises. As a result the SNRS is now facing threats of famine and communicable disease.

The rainfall pattern in the region varies from zone to zone. Jigjiga, Fik and North west of Afder, which falls between 800-1500 masl used to get a better rain than the remaining zones. The second group are Degahabour, Shinnile, Warder and Korahi. The third and the last group is Gode zone, which gets the smallest rain which is between 120-300 masl.

The rain situation of this season remained to be unfavorable up to September except the forecast of the promising rain from of National meteorological services agency a promising rain, which is 50% less than the normal rain.

4. AGRICULTURAL CROP AND SEED SITUATION

The agricultural sector is largely rainfed and few by irrigation, which are very poorly developed characterized by subsistence production. The total area of the region is estimated to be around 271,000 sq kms out of which 40% are grazing, 20% forest, wood land and shrub land, 26% arable land and 14% is other type of land. Agro-ecologically, the region is classified as arid and semi arid zones. Topographically most of the regions are plain with some small mountains, hills, valley and undulating lands. The altitude in the region ranges from 900-1500 m.a.s.l with rarely appearing lowlands less than 500 m.a.s.l and mid high land reaches up to 2200 m.a.s.l.

The water crops grown in the region include Cereals (maize, sorghum, in all zones), wheat barely, oats (in Jigjiga zone), pulses (haricot beans in all zones), chick pea, field pea, lentils (in Jigjiga zone), oil crops (sesame (in lowlands), linseed, groundnut (In Jigjiga zone), vegetables (onion, tomatoes, hot pepper, water melon, leafy vegetables (in all zones) sweet potato, Irish potato, cabbage (In Jigjiga and Shinile) fruit crops (citrus, banana, papaya, mango, guava (In shinile, Liben, Afder, Gode zones) cash crops (chat in Jigjiga & shinnile zones) cotton ( in Gode zone). Out of the indicated crops, maize and sorghum cover the largest area (70-80%) annually and they are the most common preferred food crops grown in the region.

Traditionally livestock rearing is accepted as the dominating farming system of the region. Recently crop cultivation has become more frequent among the rural community of the most places in the region specifically in Jigjiga, Shinile, parts of Liben parts of Gode zones are practicing sedentary and semi sedentary farming. In the rest of the zones pastoralism and Agro pastoralism is practiced.

The main source for irrigation activities is the natural rain, and agro-pastoralists use traditional rainfed farming system. The size of land is usually less than half hectare per household. Irrigation by water pumps is practiced along the lower basin of Wabi shebelle, with the use of one cylinder pumps that can irrigate upto 5 hectares during the good days when the river water is high.

There is no rainfed irrigation this year and only 45-one-cylinder pumps are being used for irrigation along Wabi Shebelle River this time. This can irrigate an area of about 225 hectares. The yield expected is around 6750 quintals of maize and sorghum in these areas. In all other areas of the region, no yield is expected. However, the rain is small in Jigjiga zone, some farmers tried to cultivate their land, but unfortunately there has been an army warm infestation which destroyed all the farms. Generally this is a season is a season with total crop failure.

Table-1. Usually cultivable and cultivated land September 1999

S.	Zone	Farming Area	Usually Cultivated Area in (Hectare)	Now Being Cultivated
1	Jigjiga	East & NE of Jigjiga	18,000	1800
2	Warder	No farmland	0	0
3	Degahabour	Lower basin of Jerer valley	1,900	0
4	Korahai	Korahai & Dobowein valley, Shaygosh	8,000	0
5	Gode	Along Wabi Shebele river	45,000	6,750
6	Shinnile	Erer valley	850	45
7	Fik	Mulli & Dakato valley	2,400	50
8	Liban	Along Dawa & Genale river	800	No data
9	Afder	Along Weib river	1,500	No data
	Total	All the zones	78,450	8,645

Figure 1. Cultivable and cultivated land in each zones in SNRS

The two weredas which are being infected by grain devouring birds have been known by their fairly good annual crop yielding areas.

(Please refer Annex II for the official release of Jigjiga zone agricultural bureau)

The crop failures induced by drought and loss of livestock have been causing famine and food shortages in many regions, forcing the people to be dependent on relief almost every year. Often, such a predicament has been severely hampering the capacity of the victims to produce again. Availability of adequate seed is often a major problem.

Failure of the major crops certainly means unavailability of seed unless it is bought in the market and purchasing power does not often exist for the latter. A few of the victims could sometimes afford to acquire a seed for one crops but often the availability of preferred crop not adequate.

In this regard the response form NGOs UN agencies and governmental organs has left to meet the high and urgent demands of famine and drought victimed. The assistance given so far in regard to the seed is almost nil except of the seed donated by CRDA through OWS.

Though some efforts has been exerted to alleviate the water scarcity in Warder Degehabour, Gashamo, Aware and Fiq the chronic water scarcity is still prevailing.

5. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF WATER

The provision of adequate and safe potable water supply to the rural and urban population remained to be the major challenge of SNRS. Even though, the magnitude of the challenge differs from place to place the scarcity of adequate potable water is still very high and the demand is beyond ones expectation. It Out of the total population 95% of which the population who are living in the rural part of the region do not have access to adequate and clean water. The chronic situation is more aggravated during dry season.

In general the low level of access to improved water supply has made the community vulnerable to water borne disease such as intestinal parasite diarrhea diseases skin and eye diseases. The problem is more pronounced on children and women.

Furthermore the status of sanitation in the region is rather meager. It is observed that one hand dug well serving more than 5,000 people. The absences of latrine and Health education have exacerbated the situation.

Improvement of water supply of an area in terms of reduced time and energy required to fetch water is also significant and vital. In this respect the nomadic people in the region particularly in the targeted zones have to travel in average 10km a day which places a great physical strain and waste of productive time and energy that could have been avoided through provision of water supply.

Scarcity and very poor quality of water available in the four zones mainly Jigjiga, Shinnile, Gode, Korahai are the major problems. In urban areas, water supply schemes consisting mainly in boreholes fitted with pumping units are in many cases not functioning. Bad use of the system (no-maintenance, mal management and poor sanitary conditions around water points) have a direct effect on quality and quantity of water.

In rural areas, at most water points people have to share water with animals which brings risk of contamination. Borehole system providing permanent safe water can also be found, but people consume mainly water from traditional hand dug wells or surface water harnessed in pond or birkas (traditional water tanks). The quality of water is very low due to lack of protection equipment which would avoid surface contamination, and become worse during dry season, spreading the risk of contracting water related diseases.

As to the assessment team of situational analysis of water in the nine zones revealed that the condition is worst as compared to he months of July & August. The people have continued to abandon their locality due to the total absence of water not only for their livestock but also for their own consumption. Most of the traditional hand dug wells in four zones are non-functional.

The concentration on water points has become highly over populated. This would aggravate the number of deaths due to the hardly existing few water points.

Though; hardly few efforts has been exerted to alleviate the cronic water scarcity through providing water tunker trucks by the region, the prevailing problem is still exacerbating.

Particularly an appeal has been forwarded to the federal DPPC to provide water tunker trucks for the Warder Degahabour, Gashamo, Aware and Fiq zones.

6. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF PASTORAL ECONOMY

The livestock resources of the region is composed of camels sheep, goats, donkeys and horses. Cows were introduced few years ago for the quality of their milk, considered as the best substitute for breast feeding and their fast growing capacity.

At normal situations the type and the enormous number of livestock in region was used to resemble as follows:

Table 2. Type and number of livestock in the region:

No	Type of livestock	Total amount
1	Cattle	2,308,620
2	Sheep	7,987,738
3	Goats	3,134,065
4	Camels	1,341,998
5	Donkeys & horses	231,662
Total		15,004,083

Figure 2

The loss of animal is still getting worse and worse. This situation is aggravating by the spread of livestock disease that has affected the income of the poor people to a greater extent.

A Considerable number of livestock loss has been observed. As a result of the poor condition of livestock most of the lacating animals are unable to give milk and milk products. This has directly affected mother and children under official letter from DPP & LB of SNRS.

The death rate of livestock has increased to 50% since last drought and famine situational analysis.

7. SITUATIONAL MARKET & FOOD ANALYSIS

As to the finding out of the situational analysis of market and Food there is alarming situation that quests a due consideration. Accordingly the market and the food situation, the region has affected the income status as well as the drought capacity of the people. This inturn contributed to the existing chronic food insecurity condition.

Table: 3. The current livestock market of Korehai, Gode and Warder zones

S.	Livestock type	Age	Price
I	Camel	3	600
	>>	8	1200
	>>	9	1400
	>>	12	800
II	Cattle	6	700
	>>	8	1000
	>>	9	1100
III	Shoats	1	60
	>>	2	70
	>>	4	130

The current market prices of livestock for the month of September is depicited on the graphs drawn below.

Figure 3. The current prices of Camel as to their age in Korehai, gode and Warder zones & Degehabour

Figure 4. The current prices of cattle as to their age in Korehai, Gode and Warder zones & Degehabour

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

No.	Livestock	Market Price
1.	Camel (for use)	600
2.	Camel (for meat)	1000
3.	Cattle (for use)	500
4.	Cattle (for meat)	600
5.	Sheep (for use)	120
6.	Sheep (for meat)	250

The current (September) market price of livestock at Shinnile has increased considerably 78% compared to the last two months.

According to the assessment team the prices of grain for the month of September is indicated in the following table:

Table: 5. Market prices of grain for them month of September

No.	Commodity	Unit	Price (Birr)
I
1.	Maize	Quintals	180
2.	Sorghum	Quintals	260
3.	Beans	Quintals	460
4.	Wheat	Quintals	220
II
1.	Spagetti	Box	75
2.	Rice	Quintal	440
3.	Suger	Quintal	280
4.	Oil	Carton	122

The market prices of Sorghum has increased 36% while the price of Maize decreased 12% and beans increased 46%.

Figure 8

No	Commodity	Unit	Price
1.	Sorghum	Quintal	320
2.	Maize	Quintal	320

The current (September market price of grain in Shinnile shows drastic increase. Accordingly the prices of Sorghum increased 89% and maize 64%.

Figure 9

As to the report of the assessment team the current market prices of consumable commodities are indicated on the table below:

Table 7. The current market prices of consumable items at Shinnile.

No.	Items	Unit	Price
1.	Suger	Quintals	420
2.	Rice	Quintals	400
3.	Oil	Litres	100

As it is indicated the prices of suger and Rice have increased 35% and 9% respectively.

8. HEALTH AND NUTRITION SITUATION

It is natural that drought and food shortage are accompanied by disease of particular types and malnutrition level of varying degrees. Famine victims in SNRS were unable to withstand diseases such as TB and Malaria which frequently occur.

Malnutrition has reached at acute levels in many zones and increased mortality and morbidity rate. Existing health facilities are not adequately to address the needs. Most of the people lack access to health facilities. The existing health facilities are not equipped with essential drug and equipments.

As it is noted about one million people are expected to seek relief assistance. These are only those targeted for relief items distribution. There are others who are on the margin and nearly all of the targeted victimaized for this year were seeking assistance last year due to the recurrent calamities. The chornic food needs were not adequately addressed. Health and nutritional situation is more precarious. Therefore it provision of basic health services has become more essential compared to the months of July and August.

The assessment team revealed that Diarrhea is still killing children below the age of 5. The number of people suffering of TB and Malaria has become enormous.

Immediate response should be given inorder to address the major health problems caused by drought. Among the activities that guests urgent actions include material and child health care immunization, diarrea disease control, communicable disease control and others through primary health care, community health services and epidemic prevention.

9. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT NEED ASSISTANCE

The assessment team that were drawn from WFP, SCF/UK MSF, DPP&LB, OWS in the eight zones and SCF/USA the federal DPPC and WFP in Liben zones.

Accordingly the number of people that need assistance are 1,009,500.

Please refer the table 8 below for the number of people that needs urgent assistance currently.

Table 8

No.	Zones	No of people need assistance
1	Jigjiga	192,500
2	Gode	65,000
3	Shinnile	75,000
4	Korahai	42,000
5	Fik	60,000
6	Degehabour	115,000
7	Afder	90,000
8.	Liber	255,000
9	Warder	115,000
Total		1,009,500

10. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION

The recommendation in this part reflects emergency food, water, drug supply, agricultural inputs, rehabilitation of displaced people rehabilitation and extension of water resources, introduction of food for work and strengthening the primary health care.

Immediate and urgent response should be given to the drought catastrophe so as to rescue the lives of thousands of people, through generous assistance of donors. UN agencies, International organization, NGOs government agemcies and etc..

10.1 Emergency Food Items Required

The emergency food items required are Famix, Biscuits, Grain, Cooking oil white floor. The number of people who are in need of food aid are one million people.

According to the Regional disaster preparedness & Prevention bureau

Table 9. Amount of food items recommended

No.	zones	Famix (qtls)	Biscuits (ctn)	Grain (qtls)	Cooking oil (litre)	White floor (qtls)
1.	Degehabour	1450	1400	5850	2500	540 qtls
2	Warder	1450	1400	5850	2500	1540
3	Korahai	1000	1250	4600	2000	1340
4	Gode	1000	1250	4600	2000	1340
5	Fik	1300	1350	5850	2300	1500
6	Afder	1450	1400	6900	2500	1540
7	Liben	1500	1450	6950	3000	1600
8	Shinnile	1250	1250	4600	2000	1340
9	Jigjiga	1450	1400	4800	2500	1500
Total		11850	12150	50000	21300	12240

• This is the food aid that OWS could handle as per their operational capacity

Emergency water tankering is very necessary particularly for the zones of Warder, Degehabour, Gashamo, Aware, Fik.

10.3 Veterinary Drug Supply to Rural Community

The livestock disease is still prevailing in most zones. The veterinary drug store is not existing in the whole region. There is no institution which is in charge of this activity. Therefore the provision of livestock is quite necessary in which the total population economy is pastoral.

10.4 Rehabilitation of the Displaced Poor Farmers

The number of displaced people has increased. The people migrating in search of food and water are escalating. In Jigjiga, Fiq Korahai and Gode zones displaced people are gathering in water points. Their situation is severe than the other victims.

10.5 Rehabilitation & Extension of Water Resources

Provision of adequate and potable water supply to the rural and urban population remained to be the major challenge in SNRS. The drought catastrophe has aggravated the existing situation which is beyond ones expectation. The status of the situation is meager.

Scarcity and very poor quality water available in Jigjiga, Warder, Liben, Afder, Degehabour and Korahai zones is on critical status. In these areas at the water points people have to share water with livestock that is bringing high risk of contamination. Most of the traditional hand dug wells in the above zones are non-functional. The wells have no drainage and are in poor condition.

In this regard rehabilitation of the existing water points and extension systems is very crucial to rescue the lives of hundreds of thousands of people suffering from scarcity of water.

Please refer table 10 for the detail.

Table 10

S#	Type of project /Activity	Qty with unit	Beneficiaries	Target area
1. WATER RESOURCES
1.1 Rehabilitation
1.1.1	Bore hole	10	Community	Kebridehar Jigjiga Gode
1.1.1 1.1.2 1.1.3	Shallow well Hand dug Birkas	20 50 30	Community Community Community	Shinile Jigjiga Kebridehar-Degehabour
1.2 Construction
1.2.1 1.2.2 1.2.3 1.2.4	Borehole construction Hand dug well construction Water pond construction Trough construction	5 100 4 4	Community	Gode Kelafo Kebridehar Shinile Jigjiga
12.2	Shallow well construction	30	Community	Shinile Shinile wereda Erer wereda Babile Gursum Korahai Shilabo Debewein Gode Mustahil Ferfer
1.3 Supply & Installation
	- Motorized submershible pump (set) - Generator (set) - Surface pumps (set) - Hand pumps (set)	12 12 4 30	Community Community Community Community	Gode Gode weredas Kelafo weredas Shekosh Kebridehar Shinile Dembel Shinile ERER Jigjiga Awbere Kebridehar

10.6 Introducing Food for Work

It has been experienced that food for work bing applicable in Kelafo, Mustahil and Jigjiga. This activity can be realized through irrigation rehabilitating the existing water points and the like.

This can be achieved through assessing the actual need that can suit food for work.

10.7 Strengthen the Primary Health Program

The general health status in SNRS is very low related to the other regions of Ethiopia. The region is still one of the most dis-advantaged region. The people has no access to health facilities, TB, Malaria, diarrhea are the prevailing diseases in Jigjiga, Gode Wader, Degehabour and Fik zones.

Therefore rehabilitating the existing health facilties is essential. In this regard strengthening health institutions through provision of human and livestock drug and medical equipment supplies is the most significant sector of emergency relief.

(Please refer table 11 for the detail)

Table 11. The Drug Requirement

S.No	Drug	Form & Strength	Total Req. for 3 months
1.	Analgesia (2.1) 1. acetylsalicylic acid 2. paracetamol	Tab 300 mg Tab 500 mg	51.000tabs 13,500tabs
2.	Anthelmintic 1. Mebenazole 2. Piperazine	Tab 100mg Syrup 500mg/ml	6,300 tabs 15.3ltrs
3.	Antibacterial 1. Ampiciline 2. Benzylpenicillin 3. Phenxymethylpenicillin 4. Prociane benzylpenicillin 5. Sulfamaethoxazone + trimethropim 6. tetracycline	Suspension 125mg/5ml Inj. 0.6gm (one million IU) Tab 250mg Inj. 3gm (3 million IU) Tab 250 mg Tab 400 mg + 80mg Tab 250mg	1.260 bottles/60ml 1.500 vials 28.500tabs 1.125 vials 22.500tabs 27.000 tabs
4.	Anti malaria 1. Chloroquine 2. Chloroquine	Tab 150mg Syrup 50 mg/5ml	24,000 tabs 9lits
5.	Anti Anemica Ferrous salt + Folic Acid	Tab 60mg + 0.2mg	90.000tabs
6.	Dermatological 1. Benzoic acid + salieylie acid 2. Neomyein + bacitraein 3. Calamine lotion 4. Benzyl benzoate 5. Gentian violet	Oint 60% + 3% 25gm tube Oint 5mg + 500U/g 25 gm tube Lotion Lotion 25% Crystals	300 tubes 150 tubes 15lts 105ltrs bottles 200gm

10.8 Agricultural Input

The major assistance recommended in regard to agricultural inputs is the fund needed to purchase seed, pesticide and hand tools for the most destitute of the current victims of food shortages.

10.9 The recommended activities regarding agricultural activities are:

Distribute seed to the most needy that would enable them to grow crops on one hectar per household. Only two major crops-maize sorghum are considered here:

• provide 1 set of hand tools to each household;
• Make available pesticides (depicted in table 9) and recommended equipment at the rate of one set of equipment for 50 farmers and pesticides enough for an infestation rate of 20% of the total land holding of each region.

• Target household = 237,350 in nine zones
• Seed = 3000 mt
• Pesticide = 1320mt
• Set of hand tools = 237,350
• Set of equipment for pesticide application = 3948

Table 12. Agricultural inputs recommended

Item description	Amount recommended		Remark
	Unit	Quantity
1. Seed
- Maize - Sorghum	Mt Mt	1600 1400
2. Pesticides
- Malathion 50% - DDT 10%	Mt Mt	120.1 600.9
3. Others
- Hand tools - Chemical equipment	Set set	237,500 3948

This is an assessment conducted by OWS situational monitor which hired by WFP. If you need further information please contact:

OWS head office
P.O.Box 2189
Addis Ababa
Tell: 610990 Fax: 615594
Email: ows@telecom.net.et.

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