VZCZCXRO0346
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHDS #2174/01 1930906
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120906Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6954
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 4000

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 002174 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USAID/DCHA FOR MHESS, GGOTTLIEB 
DCHA/OFDA FOR KLUU, AFERRARA, ACONVERY, KCHANNELL 
DCHA/FFP FOR WHAMMINK, JDWORKEN 
AFR/AFR/EA FOR BDUNFORD 
STATE FOR AF/E, AF/F AND PRM 
USUN FOR T.MALY 
USEU BRUSSELS FOR P.LERNER 
USMISSION GENEVA FOR N.KYLOH 
USMISSION UN ROME FOR R.NEWBERG 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR PREF ET
SUBJECT: USAID/DCHA FIELD TRIP AND ASSESSMENT, AFAR REGION, ETHIOPIA 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY.  Drought in Ethiopia's Afar region has taken its toll on 
pastoralists in woredas most affected by the failure of recent 
rains, including Chifra, Uwa and Awra.  While access to water is a 
concern, the lack of browse, pasture, and fodder for livestock has 
had a devastating impact on cattle and sheep, although goats and 
camels are faring better.  Early migration to the highlands has 
taken place, but woreda officials report that pastoralists who 
remained in the region have experienced from 40 to 70 percent 
livestock deaths due to starvation.  Most pastoralists ignored 
warnings to destock during the early stages of the drought, with 
many preferring to try to hold out until the next rainy season 
starts in mid-July, due to low cattle prices and high transport 
costs for animal trucking.  Children's nutritional status has 
declined somewhat, but the low level of severe acute malnutrition 
(0.3 percent) does not warrant a blanket under-five response. UNICEF 
and WFP continue their regular nutritional supplements program. 
USAID/OFDA is responding through IRC to improve water supply.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. USAID Office Of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) regional 
advisors, water and sanitation technical advisor, and field officer, 
and USAID Ethiopia Asset And Livelihood Transitions (ALT) officer 
visited three affected Afar woredas June 27-30, meeting with 
regional and woreda officials, Save the Children-UK staff and a 
local NGO, Support to Sustainable Development, who briefed the USG 
team on prevailing conditions in Chifra, Uwa and Awra woredas.  Also 
joining the assessment team was OFDA's Water, Sanitation, and 
Hygiene (WASH) rapid response partner: the International Rescue 
Committee's (IRC) water and sanitation program officer. 
 
------------------------------------- 
LACK OF RAINFALL CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. Decreased rainfall earlier this year in northern Afar region has 
resulted in drought conditions in a number of woredas such as 
Chifra, Uwa, Awra and Telelek.  Reports received from NGOs and the 
Afar Region Disaster Prevention and Preparedness and Food Security 
Bureau (DPFSB) highlighted unusual pastoralist migratory patterns 
due to lack of browse and pasture, deteriorating livestock 
conditions, high numbers of cattle deaths, plummeting livestock 
prices, and outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea (AWD) among woreda 
residents. 
 
¶4. Chifra authorities report that up to 40 percent of cattle in the 
woreda have died due to lack of pasture.  There are two perennial 
rivers in the woreda, but water ponds have dried up.  In the woreda, 
four of the five motorized boreholes are functional, while the 
available water in five hand pump-operated boreholes has reduced 
significantly.  Weakened livestock must walk up to 35 kilometers to 
access water sources.  AWD cases were reported as early as January, 
but the numbers appear to be declining. 
 
¶5. Conditions in neighboring Uwa Woreda were similar to those 
observed in Chifra--no browse, pasture or forage for cattle and 
shoats--although the body conditions of goats and camels appeared 
somewhat better.  Woreda officials reported large numbers of cattle 
and sheep deaths, abnormal pastoralist out-migration to the 
highlands, cases of AWD and several cases of malnutrition.  Water 
sources in Uwa include one perennial river, two motorized boreholes, 
and three hand pump-operated boreholes, of which one was not 
operational.  Five boreholes were drilled by the zonal water bureau 
two years ago, but were never finished.  As with Chifra, residents 
are using perennial river water for both animal and human use. 
 
¶6. Awra Woreda officials report scenarios more dire than Chifra and 
Uwa, claiming that up to 70 percent of cattle that did not migrate 
out of the woreda have died.  The assessment team saw larger numbers 
of dead cattle while traveling through this woreda.  Pastoralists 
were observed cutting down tops of trees to provide forage to 
emaciated cattle.  Water sources in this woreda include one 
perennial river, three functioning motorized boreholes, one 
functioning hand pump-operated borehole, and a number of deep and 
shallow boreholes under construction by the regional water board. 
Officials also reported several water sources in need of 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002174  002 OF 003 
 
 
rehabilitation and repair. 
 
¶7. While the Afar Regional Water Bureau has provided two pickup 
trucks to transport water in jerry cans to the most seriously 
affected kebeles, woreda officials consider this far from adequate. 
They have requested water tankers from the Regional Water Bureau to 
distribute water to four of the most affected kebeles, but this 
request has not been processed.  Cases of AWD were reported earlier 
this season, but few new cases are being reported now. 
 
--------------------------- 
GOVERNMENT AND UN RESPONSES 
--------------------------- 
 
¶8. Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) wheat allocations for April 
and May have arrived in the woredas; distribution is scheduled for 
beneficiaries in the coming week.  UNICEF Expanded Outreach Strategy 
(EOS) corn soy blend food for undernourished children has also been 
received and is also scheduled for distribution. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
IMPACT OF DROUGHT ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. Reports that high numbers of children were malnourished due to 
milk and food shortages prompted a formal nutritional survey in late 
May 2007 by Save the Children-UK.  The survey found global 
malnutrition rates (GAM) at 11.1 percent and severe malnutrition 
rates (SAM) at 0.3 percent. 
 
------------------------------------ 
PREDICTIONS FOR 'KARMA' RAINY SEASON 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶10. The USAID-supported Famine Early Warning System predicts that 
the next rainy season for Afar Region, the 'karma' rains, will be 
normal to above-normal. 
 
-------------------------- 
EARLY WARNINGS DISREGARDED 
-------------------------- 
 
¶11.  COMMENT.  While early warnings on drought conditions and impact 
on pastoralist livelihoods were communicated months ago, most 
pastoralists disregarded advice of NGOS, early warning agencies and 
local officials to destock herds of cattle and goats, fearing low 
livestock prices.  A small number of herders sold stock and 
transported breeding stock early on to highland grazing areas either 
by truck or overland migration, but most declined this option, 
deciding instead to take a wait-and-see stance.  It is this majority 
who are now dealing with the loss of their herds.  Local officials 
confirmed that pastoralists were advised to destock, however, 
cultural beliefs that livestock numbers are a reflection of prestige 
and wealth inhibit aggressive destocking options for afar 
pastoralists. 
 
¶12. COMMENT CONTINUED.  The May 2007 nutrional survey results do not 
justify a robust response for children under five years of age at 
this time; however, USAID/OFDA is monitoring the food security 
situation closely and is in discussion with partner agencies which 
are responding with nutrition interventions.  The karma rains are 
expected to commence by mid-July and should have a positive impact 
on pasture and water sources.  In the meantime, the most critical 
concerns are to maintain current water sources, assist local water 
boards in repairing and completing non-functioning water sources, 
prevent additional cases of AWD, and provide PSNP and EOS food to 
vulnerable families.  END COMMENT. 
 
----------------------------------- 
USAID/OFDA RESPONSE RECOMMENDATIONS 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶13. USAID/OFDA supports IRC to provide rapid WASH responses to 
vulnerable communities.  IRC will conduct a detailed assessment of 
areas where pastoralists have migrated, and areas where existing 
drinking water supply has significantly decreased.  IRC will make 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00002174  003 OF 003 
 
 
recommendations for intervention in the region and coordinate 
response activities with USAID/OFDA, and regional and woreda 
officials.  Preliminary observations suggest support to the 
Government of Ethiopia for chlorination programs targeting migrated 
pastoralists who use perennial river water for drinking, and repair 
of existing infrastructure in areas where water supply is 
declining. 
 
¶14. USAID will continue to monitor the Afar drought situation, 
liaise with Afar Region stakeholders on best response options, and 
work with UN and operational agencies on contingency plans for 
drought response in the event the expected 'karma' rains fail to 
provide relief to vulnerable households and pastoralists in the 
affected woredas. 
 
YAMAMOTO