UNITED NATIONS  DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia

1. INTRODUCTION

A field trip was conducted in order to follow up on the armyworm situation in Tigray as well as the ongoing relief food distributions in Tigray, North Wello, South and North Gonder zones.

The Kremt rains have had a good start in most areas of northern Ethiopia. In most zones the rains have been normal or above normal, except in the eastern lowland weredas of South Tigray, North and South Wello zones where a slow start of the rains has been reported. The grassland is quickly recovering, therefore resulting in an immediate improvement of pastureland for animals. However, the animal population has become considerably reduced following the long dry period, and the lack of work animals will have a negative impact well into the coming year.

At the time of the field trip, the armyworm infestation in Tigray had been completely controlled in the Western zone whereas ground and aerial spraying operations were still ongoing in the Central, Eastern and Southern zones. Whilst leaving Mekelle on 8 August, it was observed that overall, the situation had rapidly stabilised and concerned experts at the regional MoA considered the infestation to have been controlled throughout the region.

During the reporting period, relief operations were ongoing in all the zones visited. Due to food shortage and transport problems, the distributions were hampered in many areas but all the organizations involved were making every effort to provide food for the targeted population using all available resources.

In many areas, July distributions continued into the beginning of August 1994. Some areas in Tigray (Abergele), North Wello (Sekota and Lalibela), South Gonder and North Gonder (Adis Selam) are completely inaccessible due to flooding and mudslides and it is difficult to deliver food to these areas at the present time.
 

2. ARMYWORM SITUATION IN TIGRAY

The first outbreak of armyworm was recorded on 20 May, in Chercher and Mehoni weredas of the Southern zone of Tigray, where approximately 800 hectares were infested. This infestation was effectively controlled by ground spraying operations. On 24-25 May, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Western zone informed the regional office in Mekelle of an outbreak in this area. As a result, 11,000 hectares were immediately sprayed using aerial control measures. A second outbreak occurred shortly after, covering an area of about 72,000 hectares. Control operations commenced immediately using both air and ground spraying as well as basic traditional methods of beating the pests with tree branches, re-cultivating and herding animals back and forth affected grasslands. The second generation of infestation, which was detected shortly after, covered 43,551 hectares.

It has been assessed that in the four zones of Tigray, 214,479 hectares of grass and cropland were infested by this year's outbreak, with a total area of 91,872 hectares controlled by aerial and ground spraying methods as well as traditional methods. As at 20 July, 46,391 litres of liquid pesticide and 5,071 kgs of powder pesticide had been used for the operations.

On 28 and 29 July, the two Admas spraying planes based at Mekelle airport were spraying 17,700 hectares in Kilte Belessa and Kolla Geralta weredas. At this time, 12 of the 13 weredas of the Eastern zone were infested, covering an estimated area of 35,000 hectares.

At the beginning of August, the regional MoA bureau in Mekelle reported that the total infested area since the start of the outbreak had reached 151,320 hectares of cropland and 120,218 hectares of grassland/pasture.

With the eradication of armyworn in the Western zone of Tigray, attention was focussed on the Eastern and Southern zones of the region. At this time, some weredas in the Central zone also reported new third generation outbreaks.

On 30 July, the FAO expert on migratory pests, visited Mekelle in order to assess the current conditions with the assistance of the concerned officials of the MoA in Tigray as well as to give advise on future interventions needed to avoid and/or control pest infestations.

Information gathered from the Region 3 (Amhara) MoA in Bahir Dar revealed scattered armyworm outbreaks reported from North Gonder, North Wello and North Shewa zones. Spraying started in the zones and, coinciding with onset of constant rains, gave hope to the MoA that the infestations could be completely eradicated.
 
 

3. RELIEF ACTIVITIES

The emergency food distributions were ongoing in all the zones visited in Region 3 (Amhara). Insufficient stocks as well as transport problems have delayed distributions or made them impossible. In South Gonder zone of Region 3, a considerable number of beneficiaries who had to cross rivers could not travel to the distribution centres as the rivers were already overflowing.

3.1. TIGRAY (REGION 1)

In Tigray, REST had almost completed July distributions in the Western zone. In the Central zone, distributions were still being carried out in the weredas of the former Axum and Adwa awrajas. Transportation problems in Tembien were also causing delays in distributions in this area. For the time being food can only be transported to Hagere Selam, located 60 kms west of Mekelle, and therefore beneficiaries are obliged to travel long distances to the distribution point. In the Eastern zone, the July distributions started late with the expectation of additional food aid supplies to arrive for the continuation of the operations.

World Vision International (WVI) has responded to a request by RRB for free food distributions in July to beneficiaries in the two weredas of Atsbi and Wemberta in the Eastern zone where they have FFW projects. No agreement has been reached yet about further free distributions by WVI in the two critically food deficient months of August and September.

IFRC/ERCS are still distributing in the three weredas of Adi Gudom, Hintalo and Wajirat in the Southern zone to 55,000 beneficiaries. Due to bad road conditions and inaccessibility, beneficiaries in Hintalo have to travel to Adi Gudom in order to obtain their food rations. Nevertheless, August distributions had started on time and were already underway at the beginning of the month.

JRP completed July distributions for a total of 279,835 beneficiaries in Mekelle and the Southern zone of Tigray in the first week of August.

The following table shows JRP's planned figures for distributions in August:
 

The RRB distributions are assisting the NGOs in areas where they have food shortages or cannot respond to increased quotas. During the month of July, the RRB provided assistance to 4,000 beneficiaries in the Western zone, approximately 45,000 in the Eastern zone and approximately 50,000 in the Southern zone. No figures were available for distributions in the Central zone.

For the food deficient months of July, August and September, the zonal planning figures are as follows:
 
 

3.2. RELIEF FOOD REQUIREMENTS AND ALLOCATIONS FOR THE 3RD QUARTER IN TIGRAY
 

3.3.1. WESTERN ZONE
 

As the resources have depleted in many households, the number of drought-affected people has risen dramatically since the end of June. REST will supply food to 84,000 beneficiaries during the months of July, August and September food. Figures provided by the RRB in Mekelle maintained the planning figure of 50,000 beneficiaries in the Western zone for July. According to the RRB Mekelle, food aid to 4,000 beneficiaries in Dima wereda was scheduled for transportation through Gonder. At the beginning of August only about half of the beneficiaries had received July rations.
 

3.3.2. CENTRAL ZONE
 

Out of the 63,550 beneficiaries receiving food at the Axum distribution centre, at the beginning of August, 40,667 had obtained their July rations. In Enticho, July distributions were still underway at the beginning of August. The former Tembien wereda beneficiaries only received food that was transported to Hagere Selam (60 kms west of Mekelle) as bad road conditions did not allow direct transport to the weredas.
 

3.3.3. EASTERN ZONE
 

Due to acute food shortages, 92,000 beneficiaries in the Eastern zone did not receive any rations in June. The breakdown per wereda for the June distributions was also not available.

The regional administration was urging REST and RRB to provide the 92,000 beneficiaries who did not get any food in June with double rations in July which was refused. The July distributions were almost completed by WVI.

In Adigrat, the beneficiaries of Adigrat town and Ganta Afeshum received July rations at the beginning of August. All other distribution points were expecting food to arrive to enable them to commence distributions July distributions according to the breakdown of the above table.

3.3.4 SOUTHERN ZONE
 

According to the zonal RRB office in Maychew, a total of 393,920 beneficiaries received food for the months of June and July 1994. This number of beneficiaries will be maintained for the months of August and September.

The majority of the drought-affected population of 279,000 in the Southern zone, including Mekelle town, receives food through JRP. IFRC/ERCS is also assisting 55,000 people in three weredas in the zone, whereas the RRB will be providing food aid to the approximately 50,000-60,000 remaining beneficiaries.
 

4. NORTH WELLO ZONE

North Wello zone of Region 3 (Amhara), with a current estimated figure of 914,000 drought-affected persons, according to the zonal RRB, has been experiencing serious logistical problems due to the weather conditions.

The Sekota area, now the newly established Wag zone, as well as the area around Lalibela has been completely cut off and food transportation to these areas is at present difficult and in the more remote areas, literally impossible. Due to road inaccessibility, the food for the Sekota area is stored in Korem to be transferred to the final destinations as soon as weather conditions improve. The same conditions are prevalent in the Lalibela area, where food is stored in Weldiya.

69,000 beneficiaries of Bugna/Gidan weredas and 30,000 in Dehana wereda did not receive JRP rations in the month of July. In Dehana, 8,500 beneficiaries obtained food supplies from remaining RRB stocks. Also, in Bugna, the EOC borrowed 450 tons of grain from the RRB for immediate distribution.

The following table shows the relief distribution plan of NGOs in North Wello zone during August 1994:
 

All NGOs have confirmed food availability for August, and distributions were planned to commence on time. Since it is foreseen that the road between Korem and Sekota will be inaccessible until the end of the rainy season, IFRC/ERCS plans to transfer the August allocations for Sekota and Sequala to Adi Gudom in the Southern zone of Tigray for distribution in September there.
 

5. SOUTH GONDER

South Gonder zone of Region 1 (Amhara) has an estimated 428,500 drought-affected and displaced persons. The most affected weredas in the zone are Simada, Ibnat, Lay Gayint, Tach Gayint and Libo Kemkem. The relief agencies currently operating in the area are EOC, FHI and ERO.

The following table shows the distribution plan of NGOs in South Gonder zone during the third quarter of 1994:
 

Until July, FHI was only operating in Simada wereda of South Gonder zone, but according to recent agreements with the RRB, FHI will also cover Tach Gayint wereda which previously received food from EOC.

FHI distributed double rations for 105,000 beneficiaries in Simada wereda during July. A remaining 28,000 beneficiaries could not collect their food rations as heavy rainfall prevented them from travelling to the distribution centre.

In June, EOC covered 71,512 beneficiaries and, in July, 46,333 beneficiaries in Tach and Lay Gayint weredas. Starting August, they will distribute rations to 50,000 beneficiaries in Lay Gayint. 50,000 beneficiaries in Ibnat and Libo Kemkem weredas are also receiving food rations distributed by EOC, although actual distribution figures are not available.

ERO did not allocate food from June to August to Ibnat as RRB had apparently already distributed food obtained from the State Farms and EGTE (known at the local level as from the Prime Minister's Office) Therefore, ERO plans to resume distributions to assist 35,000 beneficiaries from September.

South Gonder zone previously received 13,200 tons of grain from the Prime Minister's Office in May, from which approximately 8,000 tons have been distributed so far. As at end July 1994, the remaining stocks in the weredas of South Gonder zone were as follows:
 

Apart from logistical problems faced in the transportation of assistance, the situation in South Gonder seems to be more or less under control.

According to the zonal RRB representative of South Gonder, the zone is faced with problems regarding the displaced population in the zone. So far, they have registered 686 head of families (including 2,289 dependents) displaced from Assab/Eritrea as well as 1,831 ex-soldiers (plus 6,072 dependents) for whom no food assistance or rehabilitation programme is available, although some sporadically receive food rations from the RRB or EOC.
 

6. NORTH Gonder ZONE

In North Gonder zone, the conditions remain critical in Belessa, Janamora, Beyeda, Adis Selam and Quara weredas. With the start of the rainy season, the predicament of beneficiaries from Janamora, Beyeda and Adis Selam weredas has deteriorated. Some have not been able to travel to the distribution centre at Debark due to the overflowing of rivers which can no longer be crossed. The beneficiaries of Adis Selam wereda presently receive food rations in Adi Tsemri wereda of Tigray, situated on the Gonder-Shire road). Also, EOC is distributing in Debark, providing food for 50,000 beneficiaries (35,000 from Janamora and 15,000 from Beyeda).

ERO's initial plan to cover 70,000 beneficiaries in Belessa wereda failed due to delays encountered in acquiring funding. However, 39,426 beneficiaries received 12.5 kg of grain in June, 35,608 in July and 6,991 for the August and September period. The 4 months rations to 6,991 beneficiaries were given to those drought-affected people living in remote areas presently cut off from the distribution centres. Starting August, the ERO rations will include 12.0 kgs of grain, 1.5 kgs of oil seeds and 1.5 kgs of chick peas. At the end of July, ERO received funding for the purchase of 300 to of sunflower seeds and 300 tons of chick peas, to be distributed starting August. Oil seed and pulses which were not distributed in June and July will be given to the beneficiaries in August.

The RRB has a plan to distribute rations to 65,000 beneficiaries in Adis Selam wereda during August. Due to the current road conditions, food will be transported to Adi Tsemri wereda of the Western zone of Region 1, situated on the Gonder-Shire road, where the beneficiaries receive food aid after a 2-3 days walk. 

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.