Livestock mortality critical in Ethiopia Somali region, UN report

By Simegnish Yekoye

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – The United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) has reported this week that the situation in Ethiopia’s Somali region is becoming critical as livestock mortality has started to be reported and drought related livestock diseases are on the rise, affecting the weakened livestock.

According to the report the cumulative impacts of poor seasonal rainfall performance has escalated in the worst affected areas with the start of sporadic livestock mortality, increasing food scarcity and physical indications of increasing malnutrition among children, women and the elderly.
Another report released by Inter Governmental Authority on Development’s (IGAD) climate prediction and applications centre and partners during their 25th climate outlook forum indicates an increased likelihood of near normal to below rainfall over much of the greater horn of Africa during the march to may 2008 season. This includes most parts of Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and eastern Tanzania during this season.

According to an assessment report released by famine early warning system for the greater horn of Africa and eastern Africa, south-eastern pastoral areas of Ethiopia, including Somali region and the lowlands of Oromiya, have experienced poor rains in the last two seasons. Water and pasture, the key pastoral resources, are in short supply, and livestock body conditions and production have deteriorated significantly. “Livestock prices are below normal in parts of Somali region,” the report notes.

The report by the UN OCHA this week also notes the cumulative impacts of poor seasonal rainfall performance has escalated in the worst affected areas with the start of sporadic livestock mortality, increasing food scarcity, and physical indications of increasing malnutrition among children, women and the elderly.

Critical water scarcity continues to threaten the chronically water insecure areas in parts of Fik, Afder, Liben and Shinile zones and the birkad dependant areas of Korahe, Degehabur and warder zones. Increasing distance between pasture and water points continues to accelerate the deterioration of livestock body condition.
The report also indicates that livestock herders are resorting to extreme coping strategies including slaughtering of calves to save emaciated cows. •