The large number of livestock deaths, severe water shortages and the lack of cereals due to failed harvests continue to threaten the lives of millions of people in the drought-affected areas of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. Indeed, the situation is further deteriorating as pre-famine conditions are becoming evident in southern Somalia, south-eastern Ethiopia and northern and north-eastern Kenya. Crisis could turn swiftly to catastrophe if there is not enough rain over the next few weeks.

The drought is abnormally severe in the Gedo region, the lower and middle Juba and parts of the Bay and Bakool regions. Rain showers have been observed in a few locations, but they fall far short of what is needed for a successful harvest in July. The population remains in urgent need of relief owing to the scarcity of, and limited access to, both food and water.

Most rainwater catchments (126 out of 130 around Waajid, Bakool region) are dry or contain little water. Some hand-dug wells still contain water, but the level is sinking rapidly and the quality deteriorating owing to high levels of groundwater salinity.

The total annual cereal production (June 2005 – May 2006) is forecast to be the lowest in a decade. With limited migration options for pastoralists as cross-border areas face similar or worse conditions and repeated crop failures for agro-pastoralists, cereal prices have risen significantly and terms of trade have deteriorated. The prospects for generating income are therefore limited. Most families cannot afford to eat more than once a day.

Livestock mortality, especially among cattle, is significant in the Gedo and Juba valleys. An unusually high number of people are migrating to riverine areas such as the Lower Shabelle region in search of water and food. Even there, however, the drought is taking its toll. Water from the Shabelle river is used for drinking and cooking, yet the river also carries waste from the bigger cities such as Belet Weyne, which is a health hazard for both humans and animals. Since the level of the river is very low, it is becoming increasingly contaminated.

The current crisis is particularly severe because it follows years of armed conflict, which has eroded the population’s ability to cope. Poor security conditions and violence forced thousands of families to leave their homes. Heavy fighting in the capital Mogadishu last week once again inflicted tragic and avoidable suffering on the population and showed how volatile the situation in Somalia has become. Over 220 victims of the fighting were treated in ICRC-supported hospitals.

Together with the Somali Red Crescent Society, the ICRC continues to carry out a variety of activities in the affected regions. The main short-term objective is to make sure that people have enough water and food. A longer-term objective is to help people to prepare for the rainy season and for planting by upgrading rainwater catchments and distributing seed.

Water projects (Bakool, Bay, Gedo, Lower and Middle Juba)

• improvement of boreholes, hand-dug wells and rainwater catchments
• transportation of water to remote areas
• distribution of drums for storing water

Number of beneficiaries: over 850,000 people

Eight rainwater catchments are currently being upgraded in Bakool and Bay. The ICRC is teaching the communities there how to clean away the earth that was flooded into the catchments during the last rainy season. About 80 to 100 people are working on each project. They receive the necessary tools such as pick axes, crowbars, buckets and sandbags, as well as three dollars per day. This is enough money to feed their families.

Food distributions (Bakool, Bay, Gedo and Lower Shabelle)
The ICRC and the Somali Red Crescent Society have distributed food (maize, beans and soya oil) to some 270,000 people. Distributions will continue in certain areas in coordination with other humanitarian agencies until the next harvest, in July.

Distribution of household items (Middle Juba)
After an accidental fire destroyed the homes and property of some 7,500 people in Salagley, the ICRC and the Somali Red Crescent Society distributed 21.4 tonnes of household items. Each family received one tarpaulin, three blankets, one kitchen set, one jerrycan and clothing.

Distribution of seed and tools (Galgaduud, Hiraan, Bakool, Bay and Lower Shabelle)
Seed (cowpeas, sesame and maize) and tools were distributed to over 120,000 agriculturalists.

De-stocking
De-stocking is the purchase of animals (mainly goats and sheep) while they are still in fair condition from pastoralists for immediate slaughter. The meat is either distributed fresh to vulnerable people in the area or air-dried to transport to areas where a lack of protein has been observed in people’s diets.

• South and Central Gedo region: A total of 10,000 animals have been slaughtered by Somali Red Crescent Society volunteers. Some 120,000 people benefited. The de-stocking of a further 15,000 animals, benefiting 90,000 people, is currently under way in all districts of the Gedo region.
• Bakool region: A total of 5,000 animals have been slaughtered; the meat has been distributed to 30,000 people.

The drought continues to take its toll in parts of the Somali Regional State in south-eastern Ethiopia, as in neighbouring Somalia and Kenya. There has been no recent rainfall. The ICRC carries out its activities in the country in cooperation with the Ethiopian Red Cross Society.

Water projects (currently under way in Gode, Afder and around Bare)

• Transporting water to distribution and storage points (about 16,000 kilometres have been covered so far)
• Setting up water-storage facilities at boreholes in Bare town and on the banks of the Shabelle river
• Installing bladders and onion tanks at distribution points around Bare
• Repairing water pumps and supplying fuel and spare parts for irrigation schemes along the Shabelle river (completed)

Food distribution (East Imi)

• Some 24,000 people received food aid (maize, beans and oil).

Distribution of tools and seed (Gode, Fik, East Imi)

• Some 7,000 families received 93 tonnes of sorghum and 14,000 tools.

Access to health care (Afder, Gode)

• Medicines and other medical items supplied to health-care facilities. Over 150,000 people benefited.

Veterinary treatment (Afder, Gode)

• Treatment of 124,000 animals against parasites and other illnesses

The epicentre of the drought remains in and around the Mandera district. The neighbouring Wajir and Garissa districts as well as Marsabit and Moyale in the Eastern Province are among the hardest-hit areas. Small quantities of rainfall recorded in early March in various parts of the country did not, unfortunately, bring significant relief to the worst-hit pastoral areas; as a consequence, livestock continue to die at an alarming rate.

The Kenya Red Cross Society, the country’s national disaster-response organization, has stepped up its activities in behalf of drought victims. The emergency response includes food distributions, water trucking, repairs of water points, and animal de-stocking.

By the end of March the National Society had bought and slaughtered more than 18,000 animals, and had distributed close to 1,000 tonnes of food. The Kenyan Red Cross was also trucking water in five districts. The ICRC has supported these efforts by:

• making trucks and trailers available to the Kenyan Red Cross to transport relief supplies;
• training Kenyan Red Cross staff in warehouse stock management;
• equipping four Kenyan Red Cross vehicles with radios.

As part of its ongoing activities, the ICRC launched a parasite-control programme in northern Turkana. Some 500 pastoralist families received vouchers for treating 25,000 sheep and goats. The treatment, scheduled to start this week, will make the animals more resistant to dry spells.

In Orwa (Pokot) and Loyapat (Turkana), seed (tomato, green collard and maize) and tools (hoes, pangas and axles) were distributed to 500 agro-pastoralist families.