UNITED NATIONS  DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia

Summary

Unfavorable cropping conditions and the reduced grazing period in 1993 led to serious food shortages and calls for help by the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to avert growing signs of malnutrition and even starvation. The RRC organized a team of reporters, monitors and donors to visit the Bele area of Kindo Koisha and alert responsible agencies of the immediacy and scope of the needs. Inter-aide France is currently feeding 318 children from the area surrounding Bele who are malnourished with symptoms of marasmus and/or kwashiorkor. The Sawla area (Gofa and adjacent Zala and Uba Malee weredas) was reported to be highly affected by drought and food shortages similar to Kindo Koisha.

The author visited several relief organisations working in Soddo, Sawla, Areke and two villages between Soddo and Sawla. Around Sawla food shortages were evident by the numbers of children showing symptoms of malnutrition. Farmers and/or their oxen were generally too weak to crop the current season so fields were either not planted or weedy. This report summarizes RRC and NGO food distributions in the area and discusses the need to increase assistance in order to meet the current requirements. Factors leading to the failure of crop and animal food production are examined and some solutions are proposed including the production of more animal protein (keeping of chickens etc.,) while obtaining additional plant proteins by growing soybeans, avocado trees and high lysine maize.

Background and current food supply situation

The North Omo area of Southern Ethiopia, particularly the highlands around Soddo, is a potentially productive region in terms of soil and rainfall, but the population, which is dense in some areas with small land holdings, has become heavily dependent upon an intricate network of crop and livestock products. The over reliance of the small landholder on protein deficient Enset (0.25% protein), sweet potato (1.0% protein), cassava, taro and banana/mango/papaya creates an underlying predisposition to malnutrition and illnesses such as relapsing fever and diarrhoea. Trypanosomiasis (a form of sleeping sickness in livestock) severely limits livestock production of much needed milk and meat protein to balance limited quantities of cereal protein. Efforts in recent years by NGOs and the Wolaita Agriculture Development Unit (WADU) have introduced tree planting and soil conservation practices, better fertility and cereal production methods and diet supplementation with pulses from intercropping with cereal crops.

Heavy rains in early 1993 deferred belg plantings of sweet potato and teff which was followed by low rainfall at the flowering and grain filling stage. Again, shorter and lighter kremt rainfall severely affected the maize and sorghum yields, the late sweet potato crop, the grazing potential and finally the perennials, Enset (false banana) and fruit crops. The total effect has left people in this area at risk both in terms of quantity and quality of food supplies. Without animal protein and with reduced cereal and root crop stocks, people have resorted to consumption of immature Enset which causes further digestive disturbances.

A recent compilation by the wereda councils gave the following numbers of drought affected persons totalling 911,000 out of a population of 3 million:

Wereda Number requiring RRC original assistance 1/ estimate

Gofa 77,000 10,000 Uba Malee 28,000 20,000 Kucha 58,000 45,000 Dura Malo 19,000 7,000 Offa 74,000 7,000 Damot Weide 59,000 50,000 Humbo 84,000 70,000 Mareka 5,000 Kindo Koisha 69,000 75,000 Boreda 29,000 20,000 Gumeide 20,000 Zala 16,000 25,000 Kemba 50,000 30,000 Bonke 26,000 Arba Minch Zuria 34,000 Mirab Abaya 47,000 14,000 Bolosso Sorie 101,000 Damot Gall 88,000 Soddo Zuria 27,000 TOTAL 911,000 Source- RRC April updated appeal
 

In early February, SOS Sahel expressed concern about the magnitude of child malnutrition in the Kindo Koisha area and SCF-UK reported Weight for Length (WFL) levels dropping to those of 1991. The Kindo Koisha wereda administration organized a study which urged the RRC and the NGOs to address the problem through the expansion of food distribution programs. Beginning in March several NGOs began Food- for-Work (FFW) and free food distributions including RRC/Concern distributions of 1,200 tons to 80,000 people in Kindo Koisha, Kucha, Zala, and Boreda weredas. On March 16 and again on March 21, the Christian Relief and Development Association (CRDA) called meetings to discuss the seriousness of the situation and the shortage of food in local stocks for distribution. Even then there was disagreement over whether the situation was in hand, needed monitoring or needed immediate mobilization.

Over the next 30 days several UN, RRC and NGO officials visited operations in various parts of North Omo, some continuing scheduled activities while others increased or initiated plans to step up food aid assistance.

SOS Sahel who had already given 6 tons of maize seeds to 600 families and built or repaired 48 km of roads with Cash-for-Work in the Kindo Koisha wereda, immediately added another 48.7 km of roadwork at Birr 900 thousand for 4000 people over the next 5 months and will distribute an additional 600 qt of maize and 725 qt of bean seeds.

Inter-aide France in Bele town of Kindo Koisha wereda, has added 31 new staff to assist in the feeding programs and upgrade facilities and sanitation. They have acquired additional supplementary foods, drugs and infusions.

Redd Barna interrupted its April Food-for-Work programme to 18,000 beneficiaries in 16 peasant associations of the Bolosso wereda for the distribution of faffa (a locally produced blended food) supplement to 27,000 identified children in their area of operation. They expected to repeat this distribution and were considering an appropriate response to the 64,000 people in the other 11 Peasant Associations of the wereda.

Goal working in Gofa wereda targeted 6,000 families with 500 tons of grain and is requesting 150 tons of faffa to be given according to the number of children in the family.

AICF has decided to cover the most needy half of the 50,000 people in each of Zala and Kucha weredas but the details of ration have not been given yet.

World Vision International is receiving 2,000 tons of grain from USAID and the EEC; and has three Food-For-Work projects in Damot and Humgo weredas but does not plan to undertake relief food distributions at this time.

Oxfam based in Boditi has been using Food-For-Work to deepen hand dug wells and convert to Afri-dev hand pump systems. No relief distributions are planned but assistance has been given with trucking, funds and services to support the RRC in Soddo.

Action Aid operating a education, health and development programme between Waka and Bele, largely in Kindo Koisha wereda, reported that household food supplies and malnutrition indicate the need for relief operations in this area. They have been instructed by headquarters to quantify and map the needs.

Concern has been assisting the RRC in making food distributions in a 40km radius of Soddo. In addition to the 1,200 tons already distributed through the RRC in Kindo Koisha, an additional 500 tons is expected for 33,000 people 7,000 of which are on FFW programmes. In the Bedessa area, Concern are distributing relief rations to 17,000 beneficaries while about 2,000 malnourished children are recieving take-home supplementary rations. As of 23 April, the therapautic feeding center run by Concern in Bedessa was caring for 211 severely malnourished in-patients. Because of the high numbers, Concern are planning to establish a feeding centre in Girara to relieve some of the pressure on the centre in Bedessa. The two centres together are currently expected to handle a total of around 300 in-patients.

Official delegation visits Soddo and Bele

On April 21, a group comprised of ambassadors, UN agencies and RRC visited Wolaita. This trip was arranged by RRC to emphasize the dwindling state of household and relief food supplies and to establish RRC's concern to address the situation appropriately with the cooperation of the NGOs. Going directly to the administration in Bele, it was reported that there was 600 tons available stock (300 tons with Concern and 300 tons with RRC) and another 400 tons expected arrivals for distribution to the currently listed 100,000 people requiring assistance out of a registered population of 180,000.

At the Inter-aide France child feeding center in Bele, the group observed the 318 children in the centre recovering from various states of malnutrition including both marasmus and/or kwashiorkor. The feeding centre started as a tuberculosis hospital but has recently concentrated on treating severely malnourished children. The following list of admissions and death rates was given by the feeding centre physician. Of the 318 children, 60% of which were under 5 years of age, 46% showed symptoms of marasmus (energy deficiency), 32% kwashiorkor (protein deficiency) and 21% both type of malnutrition.

Year Admissions Death Rate

1990 27 - 1991 60 3.3% 1992 122 10.7% 1993 136 7.3% 1994 Jan 21 (at current rate Feb 30 projected to be 12% Mar 82 with 5 in the Apr first 1/2 180 last 17 days)

Doctors have urged the authorities to expand the present general ration distributions to include targeted take-home supplementary food. Significantly 90% of the admissions were infected with hookworms causing anaemia and 20 cases of Acute Diarrhoeal Disease have been treated this year.

Fewer people but worse conditions in the lowlands

While Kindo Koisha was listed by RRC as the wereda with the largest affected population, the two weredas of Zala and Uba Malee were reported to be more severely affected in terms of drought and malnourished children. The local administration reports that in the last 6 months, 500 deaths in the wereda were attributed to malnutrition.

With the start of the rains, the only accessible neighbouring town is Saula, the wereda capital of Gofa, situated 140km southwest of Soddo. Saula is mid-altitude (1,350 m), while Zala (1,200 m) and Uba Malee (1,060 m) are considered lowland. The first rain of the year was registered only one month ago but many people and/or their oxen were too weak to plough the land as was evident by the number of overgrown fields. Germination and maize plant populations were varied due to limited moisture and poor husbandry; consequently some land had to be replanted about 10 days ago.

Centre International de Development et de Research (CIDR) has been operating cereal banks to establish a community reserve but has ran out of stock. The first distribution of 300 tons of cereals allocated by RRC started on 10 March; and so far 120 tons have been distributed. The local clinic had been treating malnourished children in January and February but ran out of supplementary food and was turning people away.

Three weeks ago the Catholic Mission distributed 3 kg of Faffa mix per child, 3 kg of maize grain per person and 10 kg of maize seeds per family at their 14 Mother Child Health (MCH) sites but they also have exhausted their supplies. An extensive house-to-house food supply and nutrition survey conducted in mid-February indicated an average of 10% malnutrition and poor household food supplies. More recently, those arriving at the MCH sites are 50% malnourished, with 25% suffering from severe malnutrition. The wereda council administrator and health coordinator were concerned about the situation and accompanied the UN Emergencies Unit representative to the Catholic mission to request a supply of supplemental food and the resumption of the distribution. Together with CIDR, immediate arrangements were made for storage, provision of personnel to continue operations, and transportation by RRC.

It was evident that the level of husbandry at Sawla is not equivalent to that of the former WADU area. Maize seed is still broadcast and thereafter oxen cultivation destroys many of the seedlings. Few fruit trees and Enset are cultivated around Sawla but FAO has recently introduced a lowland Enset clone variety that is valued by the farmers. FAO is constructing a reservoir and a 150 hectare irrigation scheme in one peasants association (PA) with the goal of increasing food security. The plan is to grow maize, pulses and fruits to be sold to sixteen adjacent PAs. CIDR is currently distributing seeds of improved varieties and the Ministry of Agriculture plans several demonstrations of improved culture.
 

Some of the problems and possible solutions

(1) Crop husbandry and production levels

Maize planting and fertilization began replacing sorghum in the 1970's with the coming of land reform and Kenya maize seeds. However, research results from the Awassa station were not transferable and personnel rarely visited these remote areas. The establishment of the Wolaita Rural Education Project (WREP), and later WADU and the experiment station at Areke, has resulted in much improved cropping practices at the local level. Production levels could be further increased, as much as 100 % with the use of hybrid maize and improved varieties of other crops, fertilizers and pesticides. The question is whether the many subsistence farmers could afford these cash inputs. Higher levels of production would depress prices of local markets in productive years, and a marketing and transportation system to move the surplus out of this area is needed to generate the cash purchasing power.

The introduction and distribution of improved varieties is on the agenda of several NGOs. The local varieties of maize are being replaced by A511 from the Ethiopia Seed Corporation but even this seed is mixed and is being repurified by the Institute of Agriculture Research. Beletech, a new variety that requires an additional 20-30 days to mature, has higher yield potential. Still both of these have low harvest indices, meaning that large portions of energy go into stalk production. More productive varieties of beans and soybeans are available but have not yet been popularized.

Traditionally, Enset is transplanted several times, requiring 8-10 years for maturity rather than 3-4 years for direct planting. This practice conserves space but the intervening space of this crop, as well as that of cassava, could be intercropped with maize or beans. The reason why Enset plantations are kept free of crops is not known. However, leaves and roots are trimmed and transplanting is done during the dry season, needing considerable recovery time and leaving large areas free of crops.

(2) Fertility and pest control

Fertility levels in the past were high and maintained by an intricate movement of fertilizing elements (animal manure, fertilizer and compost) from the farmstead and its periphery to the areas nearest the house. This practice is declining since land holdings have decreased in size, fertilizer costs have gone up and Trypanosomiasis has reduced the number of cattle per household. The high cost of fertilizer has been somewhat responsible for the popularity of intercropping cereals with pulses which fix atmospheric nitrogen. Consideration should be given to the amount of nitrogen fixed by the various pulse crops. Also given the acidic nature of local soils, the application of lime is important for proper crop utilization of available plant nutrients.

With the intensive cultivation of the area and the prevalence of erratic rainfall patterns, pest epidemics should be expected. Recent epidemics of Sweet Potato Butterfly, Maize Stalk Borer, and Bacterial Wilt of Enset have significantly reduced yields. Malathion is a relatively inexpensive insecticide but supplies provided were grossly expired and denatured. Maize Stalk Borer control methods are currently under investigation and include seed treatments that cost the equivalent of approximately one quintal of maize grain per hectare of production. Bacterial Wilt can be controlled by timely destruction of infected plants through burying and care in handling transplants to avoid the spread of bacteria to adjacent plants.

(3) Quality vs quantity

In the North Omo region, Enset is thought to produce the highest yield of food per hectare in the country but considering that alternately two annual root crops could be produced, these claims are to be questioned. Also, the relatively low level of protein in Enset foods (about 0.25%) predisposes the population, particularly children, to malnutrition.

Recent trials by FAO have identified adapted varieties of soybeans yielding 1,600kgs/ha as opposed to 3-600kgs/ha for red and haricot beans. Due to deeply ingrained cultural traditions and preferences, however, conversion to alternate crops may require time and adaptation.

High lysine maize has been converted into hard endosperm types and is available as Quality Protein Maize (QPM). Lysine is the most limiting of the 21 amino acids necessary to fully utilize food proteins in the synthesis of body protein. This scientific innovation equivalent in protein to skimmed milk was designed for protein deficient cultures growing maize. Varieties are available in three maturity groups with either white or yellow endosperm. Tests are being run by the experiment stations and may soon be ready for introductory field testing.

Since the area is protein deficient, efforts to encourage tree planting and soil conservation should be directed toward food producing trees. Many NGOs are encouraging the allocation of large areas to the planting of trees, including fruit bearing trees, for fuel or construction purposes; although the fruit bearing varitey does not mature as quickly. Mango, papaya and guava are popular but are not good sources of protein. The avocado is notably high in protein and oil which should make it excellent for planting projects. Several species of tropical nut trees may be adapted to the area and would provide additional sources of protein and energy.

(4) Human health and diseases

Malaria, typhoid fever, relapsing fever, dysentery and intestinal parasites are the common ailments. Two of these can be prevented by health education and sanitary practices. Intestinal parasites can be controlled by sanitation, medication and wearing of footwear.

(5) Animal diseases and alternatives

Trypanosomiasis disease of livestock has been historically widespread in the Omo valley to the point that some pastoral areas are not even inhabited by humans due to the lack of resistant cattle. A pilot project implemented by FAO and Farm Africa will attempt to control the disease with a combination of trapping the tsetse fly, spraying the cattle every two months and, ultimately, providing medical treatment when the incidence of infection has been reduced to under 5% as compared to the present 30%. Some areas of Africa have resorted to the culture of trypano- tolerant wildlife with a return to hunting or harvesting selected numbers and groups of animals.

FAO has turned some attention to poultry husbandry with the subsidized distribution of chickens. Pairs are sold to farmers with the understanding that immediate offspring are to be available to neighbouring families. Lists of recipients are available at the PA office for those desiring to buy offspring. Chicken meat and eggs should make a significant contribution to children's protein needs without requiring either cropland or pasture.

NGO and RRC food distribution plans for the coming months

Considering the magnitude and urgency of the need, it is important to record the action needed. With so many weredas and so many agencies, it is important that some level of coordination and cohesion be exercised so that areas are not inadvertently neglected. Some agencies will need to temporarily expand their areas of operations. Others will need to modify their FFW activities and/or temporarily suspend their development plans in order to save lives.

The the regional bureau of the RRC has opened a special coordinating office in Soddo to handle the situation. Plans including mobilizing a fleet of long and short haul trucks to handle transport are under way. The RRC and NGOs will need to manage the distributions which include grains, supplementary food, and medicines.

Concern has committed 855 tons of grain, 86 tons of beans and 29 tons of oil over the next three months for 19,000 beneficiaries in Damot Weide wereda as well as dry supplementary food for 2,000 people per month and food for 6,175 people on the on-going FFW programme. UNICEF has sent three truck with 30 tons of Faffa, BP-5 biscuits and essential drugs to be made available to relief organisations in Bolosso Sorie, Kindo Koisha and Humbo. Other agencies may have expanded their plans and operations that the author is not yet aware of.
 

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the UN concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

 9 May 1994