UNITED NATIONS  DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia

1. INTRODUCTION

A field trip was conducted to the South Wello zone of Region 3 (Amhara) to follow up an earlier visit in March. The objectives of this trip were to assess recent developments in the drought situation in the area and to obtain information regarding ongoing relief activities.

It is not surprising that the conditions have deteriorated over the past three months. As in North Wello and South Tigray zones, the belg season has completely failed in South Wello zone (with the estimated belg season crop loss expected to be approximately 95 percent according to the zonal Ministry of Agriculture). Armyworm infestations initially controlled in most areas seem to have reappeared and the MoA is trying to allocate pesticides and equipment to affected weredas.

The Relief and Rehabilitation Bureau in Dessie has available an updated list of drought-affected populations. According to this list, the increase in the number of food aid beneficiaries is mainly due to the failure of the belg season which leaves more people exposed to critical conditions.

CONCERN, IFRC\ERCS and Kale Hiwot are stepping up their efforts to carry out relief distributions in three weredas. World Vision International is also continuing food distributions in three weredas through Food-for-Work. In other critically affected weredas, the RRB has been instructed by the central government to distribute emergency food rations in cooperation with the wereda administrations.

An important measure taken under the prevailing conditions is the agreement signed between Save the Children Fund (UK) and the zonal RRB in Dessie. According to this agreement, SCF (UK) will supply 6,000 tons of wheat grain for Bati, Kutaber, Mekdela and Sayint weredas. The registration and distribution will be carried out by RRB and the wereda administrations.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion regarding the worst affected areas and, therefore, emergency food planning is done only on a month-to-month basis.

With the failure of the belg season, the near future still remains bleak for South Wello zone despite the ongoing food distributions.

Recently, changes have been made in the administrative structure of the zone. Dessie town has been separated from Dessie Zuriya wereda and is now itself a wereda. For the time being the Dessie Zuriya wereda administration is still in Dessie town. North Kalu wereda, which included Kombolcha town, has been divided into Kombolcha and Harbo weredas. Wegedi, formerly part of Debre Sina wereda (Mekane Selam), is now a seperate wereda. The eastern weredas of South Wello and North Shewa have formed a new zone in Region 3 (Amhara), named Oromo zone.
 

2. UPDATED FIGURES OF DROUGHT-AFFECTED POPULATIONS AS PER JUNE 1994 ACCORDING TO RRB DESSIE

The RRB zonal office in Dessie presented the up-dated figures of drought-affected populations per wereda as of June 1994. For comparison, the figures obtained from the RRB in March 1994 are also listed.
 

In comparison to the March figures, another 100,000 drought-affected people have been registered by the RRB. It can be assessed from the above table that the numbers initially provided in some weredas have been reduced whereas three weredas which were previously not considered drought-affected have now over 100,000 newly registered affected people.

There is still discrepancy between the figures provided by the RRB in Dessie and the wereda administrations. Some wereda officials were apparently urged by the RRB to re-register the population and screen the most needy. Subsequently, three weredas which were considered in good condition are now considered to be in poor condition due to the failed belg season.
 

3. ONGOING AND PLANNED EMERGENCY FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS IN JUNE AND JULY IN SOUTH WELLO ZONE

Emergency food distributions are carried out by RRB (instructed by the central government), IFRC\ERCS, CONCERN, Kale Hiwot and World Vision International (through Food-for-Work) as follows:

RRB SOUTH WELLO
 

** In Werebabo wereda, Kale Hiwot is carrying out distributions with food borrowed from the RRC.
 

The food for Bati wereda is supplied by CONCERN and distributed by the RRC and the local administration (the above-mentioned quantities were borrowed from RRC, since an internal purchase deal failed).
 

IFRC/ERCS

The IFRC/ERCS have carried out food distribution to 10,000 beneficiaries in Ajibar (Tenta wereda). Since this region is inaccessible during the rainy season, beneficiaries received 2 months' rations for June and July. The food allocated for the August and September distribution is currently being moved to Ajibar. However, although the administration of Tenta wereda plans to provide this food to other beneficiaries, actual allocation is still under discussion with IFRC.
 

CONCERN

As requested by the RRB in Dessie, CONCERN has been supplying food for the drought-affected population in the badly affected Bati wereda. The organization of food distributions has so far been very difficult as the wereda administration presents weekly increasing figures of the drought-affected population.

Two months ago, CONCERN supplied 300 tons of maize for distribution to approximately 30,000 beneficiaries in Bati wereda. For the current distribution, CONCERN has borrowed 277 tons from the RRC whereas 200 tons will be supplied by SCF (UK).

At the time of the field trip, discussions were ongoing regarding the division of rations. As oil is not available, there was a plan to distribute 15.0 kg of wheat grain per person. However, the local administration seems to prefer the allocation of 10 kg per person in order to provide food for a larger number of beneficiaries. The available amount of food will therefore be sufficient for a one month ration of 10 kg to 47,700 beneficiaries or at a ration of 15 kg for 31,800 beneficiaries.
 

WORLD VISION INTERNATIONAL (WVI)

World Vision International is presently continuing with their development activities in Issaya Gola, Dawe and Artuma weredas. The RRB has recommended they get involved in free distributions, a proposal which has so far been refused by World Vision as they are distributing food through Food-for-Work as well as distributing to the disabled and elderly.

Rations consist of 15 kg of wheat grain and 0.5 kg of oil and the number of beneficiaries amounts to approximately 12,700 in Dawe wereda, 13,000 in Artuma wereda and 32,000 - 35,000 in Issaya Gola (depending on the activities).

WVI considers the food situation in the three weredas critical, but not critical enough to launch large free food distributions.
 

KALE HIWOT

Kale Hiwot is presently distributing food to 50,550 beneficiaries in Bisitimu (Werebabo wereda). Food for distribution is supplied by the RRC and will be reimbursed by Kale Hiwot. The local administration has decided to distribute a ration of 10 kg per person. Another distribution in August has already been confirmed by Kale Hiwot. The original distribution point in Arabati (40 km east of Bisitimu) has been abandoned due to logistical problems; this is a disadvantage for beneficiaries who have to travel up to two days to Bisitimu. However, for the August distribution, food is currently transferred to Bokoksa (20 km east of Bisitimu, halfway to Arabati) which shortens the distance by half for most beneficiaries.
 

SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND (SCF/UK)

SCF (UK) agreed with the RRB South Wello to supply wheat grain for the drought-affected populations in four weredas:
 

SCF is supplying the wheat grain and transporting it to the wereda main towns. Storage, registration of the beneficiaries and distribution of the two-months rations (2 x 12.5 kg) will be the responsibility of the RRB and wereda administrations. SCF will place two monitors in each place (except in Bati, where CONCERN is already working closely with the RRB and the wereda administration).
 

4. AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK

A first generation of army worms in the area has been controlled but the prevailing weather conditions (scattered showers) lead to fears that the infestation will occur again. There have been outbreaks of Stalk-Borer throughout the zone where maize and sorghum have been planted.

According to the zonal Ministry of Agriculture, the belg season has failed 90-95 percent. Even in areas where barley is now ready for harvesting, the farmers are estimating a 30 percent loss compared to last year's belg season due to lack of sufficient rainfall during the growing period.

Land preparation for the meher season is now underway and farmers are optimistic that the rains will be sufficient. Planting has commenced and will continue throughout July. Despite losses of plough oxen in some areas, most of the arable land can still be prepared.

The MoA, with the support of FAO, has established a seed programme on a revolving fund basis. Out of the MoA quota of 329 tons of selected wheat seed, 309 tons have been allocated to different weredas. About 100 tons from a FAO contribution of 200 tons of wheat seed, and 30 tons from a contribution of 200 tons of teff seed have already been allocated. Given a good meher season, the farmers have to pay back the equivalent of what they have received.
 

4.1. CHEFFA STATE FARM

The Cheffa State Farm has a total area of 2,128 hectares which is divided as follows:

50 ha for offices and barns
300 ha for grazing land
200 ha for sheep raising
428 ha for animal fattening
300 ha for sorghum cultivation
300 ha for maize cultivation
50 ha for teff cultivation
200 ha for hay (for sale)
50 ha for alfalfa
50 ha for horticulture
and 75 ha of arable land which can be irrigated using sprinkling systems.

The MoA zonal office in Dessie maintains that the State Farm is not efficient and has requested the central Ministry of Agriculture to facilitate the distribution of arable State Farm land to individual, and preferably landless, farmers. No reply has so far been received by the zonal MoA regarding this issue.
 

5. INFORMATION COLLECTED IN SELECTED WEREDAS

The following weredas were visited during the field trip:

1. Bati
2. Ambassel
3. Tenta (visited in March)
4. Mekdela (visited in March)
5. Werebabo (visited in March)
6. Kutaber (visited in March)
7. Harbo (formerly North Kalu)
8. Dawe (visited in March)
 

5.1. BATI

Since the initial food distributions were apparently not sufficient, groups of drought-affected individuals started to gather at the wereda administration premises to put pressure on the administration and RRC to increase relief food distributions.

According to RRB Dessie, Bati has registered 70,000 drought-affected persons (in March: 54,225) from which approximately 40,000 have received reduced rations of 10 kg of maize/wheat grain per person during the past two months. The wereda administration claims that by now practically the entire population (128,000) needs relief food assistance.

Last year's harvest produced only 25 percent of the expected yield, and three kebeles normally expecting to receive belg rains are reporting a total failure.

An outbreak of Rinderpest disease earlier this year was controlled, and 12 hectares of cultivations infested by armyworms have also been controlled.

With expectations of a good meher season, the MoA has increased the allocation of teff seed to the wereda from 100 to 365 quintals.

Although the wereda administration estimates around 30 incidents of death in each kebele during the past two months due to the drought conditions, this figure seems to be rather exaggerated.
 

5.2. AMBASSEL

Ambassel wereda with the main town of Wichale, is located in northern part of South Wello, bordering North Wello zone.

The wereda administration states that 141,000 persons out of a population of 150,000 are considered drought-affected (RRB Dessie: 50,000 drought-affected). In addition, according to the administration, the wereda has to manage approximately 13,000 displaced persons (ex-resettlement, ex-Assab/Eritrea and ex-soldiers).

Ambassel has recently received some attention when in May 1994 dozens of peasants travelled to the RRC Head Office in Addis Abeba in order to request immediate assistance. The wereda administration explained that this action was due to the dissapointment of farmers regarding the inadequate local level response to their needs. At the time of our visit, the RRC was distributing a 2-months ration of relief food supplies to 37,000 beneficiaries.

The wereda administration admits that Ambassel wereda faces difficult times in the near future. The wereda is situated in a mountainous region and most of its arable land is located on hilly slopes, subject to erosion. Not much has been done in this area regarding soil conservation. The average landholding is 0.25 hectares per family. An army worm infestation in April was controlled, but a new outbreak is expected.

The belg season has totally failed in Ambassel. All planted maize is either drying up or does not carry any cobs. It can be assessed that a portion of this maize may be used for animal feed.

The wereda administration believes that Ambassel wereda, with its degraded soil and overpopulation, still faces severe food shortages regardless the outcome of the coming rainy season.
 

5.3. TENTA

Although in March the Tenta wereda administration was mostly concerned about the developments in the lowland areas, attention is now equally divided in the entire wereda. Only three out of the eight belg producing kebeles expect a reasonable harvest. These kebeles are located in the catchment area of the EECMY/LWF agricultural development project.

The local administration estimates a total of 40,000 people are currently drought-affected (RRB Dessie: 50,000).

IFRC/ERCS have started food distributions for 10,000 beneficiaries. The first distribution for a period of two months (June/July) has been completed and food is now being moved for the August/September distribution. The administration has a plan to have the food for the August/September distribution shifted to different beneficiaries which is against the policy of IFRC.

According to the wereda administration, 25,000 beneficiaries have received two-months rations distributed by the RRC two months ago; this was not confirmed by the RRB Dessie.
 

5.4. MEKDELA

As in most other weredas visited, the belg season failed in the 13 belg producing kebeles of Mekdela wereda. 82,000 persons are considered drought-affected, a number which has been confirmed by RRB Dessie.

The RRC provided food assistance to 14,000 beneficiaries in May and June. Food from the RRC for another 30,000 beneficiaries for July was moved to Masha at the beginning of July.

SCF (UK) has detected some severely affected lowland areas while carrying out a nutritional survey in the wereda in June. Assistance by SCF in this area is currently under discussion.

Preparations are underway to control an expected armyworm infestation.
 

5.5. WEREBABO

According to RRB Dessie, the number of the drought-affected in Werebaba was approximately 60,000 in March, whereas the wereda administration considered only 20,000 people in need of immediate food aid. With the failure of the harvest in the few belg producing kebeles and increasing water shortages in the lowlands, the situation has changed dramatically and out of a total population of 112,000, approximately 70,000 are now greatly at risk. A decision by the local administration to distribute reduced rations of 10 kg of wheat grain to 50,500 beneficiaries in July has not been approved by the RRB in Dessie. Oil was not available for the July distribution, but Kale Hiwot hopes to receive oil for the coming distributions in August.
 

5.6. KUTABER

Kutaber is another wereda in which, due to the failure of the belg season, the conditions have deteriorated. The administration considers a total of 75,000 currently severely drought-affected (RRB Dessie: 40,000). At Beginning of July, the RRC was delivering 200 tons of wheat grain for distribution to 13,000 displaced persons from resettlement areas. Earlier, about 1,000 ex-soldiers benefitted from a one-time food distribution. The administration has also screened 30,000 people out of the 75,000 registered drought-affected for immediate food distribution. The zonal RRB promised to provide food for 20,000 and another screening is scheduled to be done.
 

5.7. HARBO

Harbo, a newly established wereda, was formerly together with Kombolcha as part of Kalu wereda. Harbo wereda is comprised of 31 kebeles. The total population number has not yet been established as an assessment of the drought-affected population is currently the priority of the administration. The administration is also concerned about the significant number of displaced persons from resettlement areas as well as ex-soldiers. So far, the wereda has not received any assistance from the zonal RRB. CONCERN, which is operating development projects in this wereda, has confirmed that the nutritional status in some areas of the wereda may be as poor as in the neighbouring wereda of Bati.

In Harbo wereda, the kremt rains are prevalent. There was a poor harvest last year caused by shortage of rain, plant pests and hailstorms. The main crops are teff, sorghum, maize and peas.

With the start of the kremt rainy season, armyworm infestation is expected in this wereda.

Water supply is the major problem and the only source of water for human consumption is a nearby river where animals are also watering.
 

5.8. DAWE

As in the other lowland weredas of eastern South Wello, the conditions have deteriorated in Dawe wereda. The water supply has become very scarce and the administration has allocated sperate water sources for human consumption and animal watering. Due to lack of pastureland, a considerable number of the inhabitants of Dawe wereda have remained in the Cheffa Plain with their animals.

The RRB is currently transporting 460 tons of wheat grain to the main wereda town of Bora, which should provide 17,000 beneficiaries with 2 months' rations of 13.5 kg. As no oil is available, the wereda administration plans to provide 15.0 kg of wheat grain for about 15,000 beneficiaries. WVI is distributing rations of 15 kg of wheat grain and 0.5 kg of oil in Kemise to 12,754 beneficiaries who are involved in Food-for-Work activities.
 

6. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OROMO ZONE OF REGION 3

A new zone has been established in Region 3 (Amhara), in the predominantly Oromo-inhabited weredas of South Wello and North Shewa zones. This new zone (Oromo zone) includes the former South Wello weredas of Bati, Dawe, Issaya Gulla and Artuma as well as the former North Shewa weredas of Fursi and Senbete. Therefore, the new zone consists of the five weredas of: Bati, Dawe, Cheffa Gulla, Artuma and Fursi (now one wereda) and Senbete. The zonal capital will be Kemise. The new administrative bodies are in the process of being established.

Ongoing relief activities for the Oromo zone will still be handled by the RRB offices in North Shewa and South Wello zones. Discussions are ongoing with the Region 3 authorities in Bahir Dar regarding the request of the Oromo zone administration to establish a zonal RRB office.
 

7. REMARKS

Although the situation has deteriorated in South Wello following the failure of the belg season, the various figures regarding drought-affected populations remain contradictory.

The RRB and NGOs have started distributing emergency relief assistance in some of the worst affected areas. The late attention given to drought-related issues has resulted in short-term, month to month planning of relief activities. The central government has instructed the zonal RRB to dispatch food to the most severely affected areas. The delivered food consists of close to 500,000 rations for about 250,000 beneficiaries (as mentioned earlier in the report in some weredas beneficiaries received two- or three-months' rations and the size of the rations varies between 10.0 and 15.0 kg). An important step is the agreement signed between SCF (UK) and the RRB which will provide two-months' food rations for 240,000 beneficiaries in four critically-affected weredas.

Except for the eastern lowland parts of South Wello, the kremt rains have started almost on time; this will ease the existing situation at least regarding water supplies and animal feed. Some remote areas of the zone which are practically inaccessible during the rainy season may still face serious problems in the near future. Also, there is concern about a another outbreak of armyworm and the MoA is prepositioning pesticides and equipment in the weredas in order to control any outbreak immediately.

Disclaimer

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.