DanChurchAid
Ethiopia
The worst drought in decades
Pastoral people are particularly affected by the extensive drought in Ethiopia, Kenya, Eritrea, Somalia and Djibouti. Securing water and animal feed are therefore first of all in focus in order not to undermine people’s livelihood.
The UN warns that more than 8 million people are severely affected by the worst drought in decades in the Horn of Africa. Nearly 18 million people across five countries of the Horn of Africa region are constantly suffering from food insecurity.
Many pastoral families are losing their animals, their primary source of livelihoods, to the drought. The loss of these assets depletes family resources and eliminates an important source of nutrition, particularly for women and children.
In Ethiopia, the Borena zone is particularly affected by the drought. The communities there are largely pastoralists, who use traditional migration routes to water livestock in an annual cycle that revolves around two rainy seasons and two dry seasons. DanChurchAid and partner organisations in ACT International are helping to provide animal feed and water for the Borana.
“We wish to focus on the existing livestock – to make them survive, as many as possible. We have been in contact with the government and their goal is to keep six percent of the livestock alive. To make that happen, we must provide water and animal feed,” says Lars Jørgensen, DanChurchAid/Ethiopia.
Based on article by Stine Leth-Nissen published on www.noedhjaelp.dk , 2 April 2006. Translated and edited by Marianne Lemvig .
