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Somalia

Somalia: Rapid food security assessment in Gedo region - The epicenter of the drought

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Decision Maker Summary

The population of Gedo Region has experienced two consecutive rainfall and crop failures coupled with persistent insecurity since the collapse of Somalia state. This has led to loss of human life and severe erosion of productive assets.

Widespread livestock deaths have occurred. Cattle, the most important livestock specie in southern Somali, have been the worst affected species with mortality rates ranging between 50 and 70 percent of the pre-crisis herds.

Malnutrition and mortality rates are severe and alarming. The assessed global acute malnutrition (weight for height<2z score or oedema) was 23.8 percent, while the severe acute malnutrition (weight for height <-3 Z score or oedema) was 3.7 percent, indicating a severe nutrition situation. Alarming crude and under-five mortality rates were assessed at 1.04 per 10,000 persons per day and 2.46 per 10,000 persons per day, respectively.

Severe water shortages are exacerbating the situation. Expenditure on water, and other essential non-food items, now makes up 80 to 90 percent of poor and middle income households expenditure in the region. Moreover, pastoralists are forced to trek long distances to find water, which is often contaminated.

This crisis has surpassed the community's capacity and all existing coping strategies are exhausted. The assessment team recommends following:

- Blanket food aid distribution should be continued regardless of the rainfall conditions up to the harvest of Gu season (August 2006);

- If the rain is late, water trucking should be continued especially in remote rural areas;

- Seed and hand tools should be provided to rain-fed farmers;

- Riverine communities should be assisted with canal rehabilitation projects and the provision irrigations pumps, fuel for irrigation and spare parts;

- Additional feeding centers should be established to combat high rates of acute

- Cash relief to bolster household income and thus improve market access should be

- Blanket supplementary feeding should be provided with micro-nutrient fortified

- More health posts need to be established in remote rural areas;

- Mobile veterinary teams need to be established to try to save as many animals as

- Existing boreholes in inland areas need to be rehabilitated; and

- A massive campaign to collect and burn livestock carcasses before the rainy season sets in is urgently required.

Background

Gedo Region is situated in south-western Somalia, bordering both Ethiopia and Kenya. The region consists six districts including: Bula Hawo, Bardera, Dolow, El Wak, Garbaharrey (the regional capital), and Luqh. About 75 percent of the population is pastoral(1). The remainder of the population is comprised of urban dwellers, agropastoralists and riverine agriculturalists along the Juba and Dawa rivers.

Gedo is inhabited by people of different clans, including the Marrehan clan which represents the majority, especially in the southern parts of the region. The population in the northern districts is of more diverse origin. Northern areas are poorer and marginalized politically and economically. In the past, food security in the southern districts was stable, while in the northern districts successive droughts and recurrent conflict have lead to high levels of chronic food insecurity.

According to Somalia Food Security Analyst Unit (FSAU) post-Deyr (minor rainy season) analysis report (February 2006), most of districts in Gedo region face a humanitarian emergency(2), due to two consecutive seasons of rain failure coupled with persistent insecurity. Severe drought has resulted in widespread human suffering, including death, as well as massive livestock losses especially cattle -- the main livestock holding in the south.

The population has recognized the severity and the magnitude of the current drought as the worst in living memory. Locally the drought has been named Sima (equalizer of all areas in the region) and Oday Ka weyn (beyond the memory of living elders).

This rapid food security assessment report was compiled to complement the interagency regional nutrition survey led by FSAU.

The main objective of the assessment was to determine the severity and the magnitude of the current humanitarian emergency in Gedo. Within that remit, the assessment team set out to address the following specific issues:

- The effect of the drought on livestock body condition and production;

- Livestock mortality rates;

- Human mortality trends; and

- The impact of the crisis on livelihoods, both in terms of people assets and livelihood strategies

Notes:

(1) FSAU Food Economy Baseline

(2) Based on the FSAU Food Security Phase Classification System

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