UNITED NATIONS  DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia

1. INTRODUCTION

The field trip was carried out in order to assess the current situation in Region 1 and in North Gonder zone of Region 3. Unlike last year when entire weredas were affected by drought and severe armyworm infestations, there are at present only pocket areas which experience critical conditions and need special attention in terms of food aid.

The rains occurred with uneven distribution. Although late, the Belg rains in Southern Tigray were much more satisfactory this year. The small rains that are important for land preparation in the rest of Tigray stopped at the beginning of May which led to unusual high temperatures and water shortages in some areas of the Eastern and Central zones in June. In North Gonder zone, particularly in the western part, the rains for land preparations have been good and if the Kiremt rainy season is on time, a good harvest is expected.

Food distributions are taking place rather irregularly. The reason for this being the unclear situation of FFW/EGS activities as well as limited resources and uncertain pipelines. However, despite delays and irregularities the situation seems to be under control and activities are ongoing. Large scale migration that was anticipated earlier in the year has fortunately not occurred.
 

2. REGION 1 (TIGRAY)

2.1. General Situation

At the time of the visit the situation in Tigray was normal. The Belg harvest is underway in the Southern zone. The remaining parts of the region have not received any rain since the beginning of May and are now extremely dry and hot. This will result in water and forage shortages in pocket areas. Land preparation has also been affected by the dryness.

The Ministry of Agriculture in cooperation with Global 2000 is carrying out trial plantings with teff (cross 37 variety), wheat (ankoi), maize and sorghum seeds in 31 weredas of the region. The aim of these trials is to demonstrate to the farmers improved seed varieties and the application of fertilizer can benefit agricultural production.
 

2.2. Relief

The introduction of the national policy whereby free relief food distributions will only apply to disabled, elderly and children as well as the shortage of NGO food supplies led to somewhat irregular food distributions in the entire region in the early part of the year. Insufficient food supplies have especially affected food distributions of JRP and REST. Meanwhile, the Relief and Rehabilitation Bureau has taken over distributions in the Eastern zone as well as in two weredas (Dima and Humera) in the Western zone.

The planning figures of the regional RRB for food distributions for the third quarter of 1995 (July, August and September) are as follows:
 

Although EGS/FFW project proposals were not approved by the National Disaster Prevention Committee at the beginning of the year, the regional RRB confirmed that all able-bodied registered beneficiaries are engaged in locally designed FFW activities which include soil and water conservation, road construction and school and clinic repair works.

2.3. Southern zone

The 1995 Belg harvest was underway at the time of the visit. A zonal assessment team is currently visiting the Belg growing weredas of Wefla, Alamata, Chercher, Mehoni, Indamehoni, Alage and Wajirat. The results of the survey will be available at the end of June 1995. As predicted during previous visits, a good Belg harvest is expected in Alamata, Mehoni and Wefla weredas.

Relief:

In May 1995 JRP has distributed 117,000 rations in the Southern zone. For the month of June 129,000 beneficiaries will receive food rations (103,200 through food for work and 25,800 through free distribution). In the three weredas of Adi Gudom, Wajirat and Hintalo no free food distributions are taking place. All beneficiaries are involved in FFW projects with food supplied by the Ethiopian Red Cross Society/International Federation of Red Cross (EFRCS/IFRC).

2.4. Eastern zone

Although the situation is generally better than last year, the eastern weredas of Erop, Tsada Amba, Subhsasie and the area around Wukro town are facing critical conditions. The MoA and the RRB agree that the problems in these areas are not only caused by unfavourable weather conditions but also by over-population and poor soil conditions.

The absence of rain since the beginning of May is causing water and feed shortages for livestock in some pocket areas.

Relief:

The following food distributions took place in the Eastern zone in 1995:
 

January	45,000 beneficiaries (urban dwellers)
February	80,000 beneficiaries (urban dwellers and drought-affected)
March	120,000 beneficiaries (urban dwellers and drought-affected)
May	199,000 beneficiaries (urban dwellers and drought-affected)

Due to insufficient relief food deliveries to REST, May distributions were carried out by the RRB. 356,000 registered beneficiaries should receive monthly food rations during the third quarter of 1995, but limited resources will only allow distributions to 230,000 - 250,000 beneficiaries. The zonal RRB is assessing the conditions wereda by wereda in order to reallocate food according to available resources.

Besides insufficient food stocks, the zonal RRB was also complaining of poor storage facilities in the distribution sites of Hawzien, Bizet, Zal Ambesa, Idaga Hamus and Wukro.

2.5. Central zone

The conditions in the Central zone were satisfactory until the beginning of May. Since then no more rainfall has been recorded. The dry weather conditions are hampering land preparations for the Meher season and are causing water shortages, particularly in the eastern and southern parts of the zone. Some of the MoA/SG2000 trial sites have already dried up.

Small-scale armyworm infestations were detected in the Rama - Adwa area at the beginning of June. They were controlled by traditional methods without any application of pesticides.

Relief:

No information was available from the zonal RRB regarding food distributions so far carried out in the zone.

The regional RRB’s figure of 226,171 persons in need of food for the third quarter of 1995 is considered to be too low by the zonal RRB. The Relief Society of Tigray (REST) is still facing problems with insufficient food stocks and is therefore not certain how many beneficiaries will receive food rations in the coming months.

The zonal RRB is estimating the population in need of food for the coming three months at 260,000 persons. Priority has to be given to the weredas of the former Adwa awraja and the lowland parts of former Tembien awraja. The conditions in the western part of the zone are less severe.

2.6. Western zone

No particular problems were reported in the Western zone. The only wereda with critical conditions is Dima, south of the Tekeze River. However, since the severe conditions of this wereda were already known last year, RRB has pre-positioned relief food for 5,000 persons per month up to the end of 1995.
 

3. NORTH GONDER ZONE

The conditions in North Gonder zone are at present better than anticipated earlier in the year. The areas west of the Gonder - Shire main road have received good rains since March.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC) carried out a distribution in April/May for Beyeda (23,000 beneficiaries), Janamora (31,300 beneficiaries) and Debark (13,500 beneficiaries) and is planning a forthcoming distribution for July. Given sufficient stocks are on pre-positioned, a two-months distribution is planned. The RRB has already pre-positioned stocks in Adis Selam for distribution in the coming months to beneficiaries in Telemt wereda. In Belessa wereda, the Ethiopian Relief Organisation (ERO) is continuing its relief and development activities. No particular problems were reported in this wereda.

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.

4 July 1995