Livelihood Profile Oromiya Region, Ethiopia

Transcription

1 Livelihood Profile Oromiya Region, Ethiopia (GBC) Livelihood Zone February, Zone Description The Guji-Borena Enset, Barley and Cattle Livelihood zone (GBC) Livelihood Zone is the highland area spread over Hambela wamena, Uraga, Dama and Bore administrative woredas in the Borena and Guji zones. The agro ecology is entirely dega or highland and is also characterized by predominantly undulating topography with some hills and mountains. There are a number of rivers in the zone including the Bukisa, Gajaba, Genale ababa, and Udesa. Major towns in the zone include Dimtu, Solomo, Afele and Bore. Roads running from Dila to Shakiso and Aleta Wendo to Negele Borena cross the livelihood zone. The population density is considered moderately dense. The area is one the wettest places in Ethiopia with annual rainfall estimated at mm. Rain normally falls for nine months from March to November. Consistent with the highland nature of the area, the temperatures are cold. The soil is moderately fertile loam, clay and red soil. The area can be classified as moderately productive and is also considered as food surplus area. The main economy of the livelihood zone is crop production complemented by livestock rearing. Agriculture is entirely rain fed in the area. There is only one major production season which is the meher. The major crops grown in the livelihood zone are enset, barley and pulses which have importance both for food and income generation. Land preparation for agriculture is generally done by ox- plowing but digging by hand is applied in some places. There are huge labor requirement for the main agricultural activities such as land preparation, weeding and harvesting. Better-off households in the livelihood zone pay for the labor necessary for weeding and harvesting. Animal manure and vegetable compost are the major local inputs for increased productivity, in addition to fertilizers (DAP and urea) used by the households in the area. Cattle, sheep and horses are the main livestock found in the livelihood zone. Cattle and sheep are used for consumption and income generation while horses are used for transportation purpose. The only animals milked are cows. The milk is generally skimmed and used to make butter, with both products being in part sold and consumed. Skins from the slaughtered animals are sold. Milking cows and plough oxen in the area are replaced both from with in the heard and through purchase. Family members share the responsibility of looking after all types of livestock. Pasteurellosis, blackleg, and lump skin disease are the most common livestock diseases affecting mainly cattle and sheep. In addition to the primary productive activities, residents in this zone earn additional income from honey production and local agricultural labor. Honey production is done around the homestead, particularly among better-off households. The peak production for honey is in the month of April. Local agricultural labor refers to weeding and harvesting, performed by poor and very poor households on behalf of the middle and better-off from July to September and December to January. There is no food aid or household credit package generally available to households in this zone. Markets The Market access in the GBC livelihood zone is rated to be moderate. The enabling factors include the proximity of the local markets to the urban centres such as Dila and Hagere Mariam. Road conditions are relatively good. The main crop items traded out of the livelihood zone are barley, pulses and enset. Barley and pulses are transported to 1 Field work for the current profile was undertaken in from 5-26 February The information presented refers to December October 2007 (EC 1999 to 2000), a normal year by local standards. Provided there are no fundamental and rapid shifts in the economy, the information in this profile is expected to remain valid for approximately five years (i.e. until 2012). The exchange rate January USD = 8.676ETB.

2 Dila, Awasa, Shashemene, Hagere Mariam, Adama and Addis Ababa while trading of enset is restricted to Dila and Wenago areas. The peak selling time for pulses and barley is the harvesting period from December to June. Enset trading is not confined to a particular time and is taking place year round. The trade route for the major livestock (cattle and sheep) is similar to the crop trading route with the main time for livestock sales running from July to September. The major staple foods are maize and enset. The local enset supply is sufficient to meet demand in the livelihood zone. Maize is transported to the local market from Wonago and Shashemene through Dilla from June to September, a period when the demand for staple food reaches a climax. Seasonal Calendar There are four seasons in the GBC livelihood zone: the long rains or Ganna from June to August, the short rains or Arfasa running from March to May, the long dry season or Bonna from December to February and the short dry season or bira from June to August. The consumption year begins after the main harvest in November. There are no short cycle crops grown in the area. The main crops are barley and pulses, planted in June and harvested from December to January. The sale of livestock refers to cattle and shoats and the sale is at its peak from July to October. Cows are milked in the livelihood zone, with the milking period extending from the short rainy season in February/March to July/August. The food purchasing and corresponding hunger periods occur 5 months before the main harvest in November. Wealth Breakdown

3 Being an area dependent chiefly on crop production, land area cultivated is the major determinant of wealth in the zone. The maximum area cultivated by the very poor wealth group is around 1.5 hectare, while the better-off wealth group cultivates up to 5 hectares. The middle wealth group cultivates an average of 2-3 hectares. Livestock holdings are another factor determining the wealth status of households. Cattle and sheep are the major livestock owned by each wealth group. Generally, cattle holdings are high in the zone, particularly amount the betteroff wealth group. The oxen holding ranges from zero to three pairs from the poor to the better-off wealth groups. The very poor do not tend to own oxen. Beehives and eucalyptus trees are also factors determining wealth status. The beehives holdings range from zero to eight from the lower to the higher wealth group. Eucalyptus trees are only owned by the poor, middle and better-off wealth group. The holding of tree ranges from hundreds to thousands as one goes from poor to better-off wealth groups. In terms of the types of crops produced, there is no difference among the wealth groups. All grow barley, enset and pulses. Factors affecting crop production potential among all wealth groups include a shortage of improved seed and the high price of artificial fertilizer. Poor and very poor households face the added challenge of a shortage of land. With regard to the livestock production, lack of money and lack of grazing land are problems affecting better livestock production by poorer wealth groups while lack of grazing land is the only hampering factor for better livestock production by the middle and better-off. No other type of income generating activity is engaged in by households in the zone the reasons being a lack of money to invest and lack of awareness of possible activities. Sources of Food A normal year ( ) The food from own crop production is an 12 important source of food for all wealth groups. Nearly 60-7 of the very poor 10 and poor annual food comes from the own crop production while the contribution is about 80-9 of the annual food for the 8 middle and the better-off. The primary staple crop is enset, but barley is also quite important. The purchase of food is the next most important source of food. The dependence on the purchase of staple food 4 decreases from the very poor to the betteroff wealth groups. The poor and very poor 2 groups cover 20-3 of their annual food from purchase. The main items purchased are maize (for all wealth groups) and enset (only for the poor and very poor). There is also a small portion of annual food is covered from the milk consumption. The trend of the milk contribution increases from the poor to the better-off wealth group. gifts, other food aid purchase payment in kind livestock prod. crops In the graph, food access is expressed as a percentage of minimum food requirements, taken as an average food energy intake of 2100 kcals per person per day.

4 Sources of Cash A normal year ( ) other safety nets self-employment employment & remittances livestock sales l/stock prod. sales crop sales The graph provides a breakdown of total cash income according to income source. Annual income (ETB) The sale of livestock and sale of crops are the important sources of annual cash income for wealth group in the GBC livelihood zone. In absolute terms, the cash income from the sale livestock increases from the poor to the better-off wealth groups. However, proportionally livestock sales constitute 40-5 annual cash income for all wealth groups. The major types of the livestock sold are the cattle and goats. The contribution of the crop sale for the annual cash income increases from the better-off to the poor wealth groups. The contribution rises up to 20-3 of the annual cash income for the middle and the better off wealth groups. Butter is also sold in the zone by all wealth groups with the contribution increases towards the better-off wealth groups. It is evident that the very poor and poor benefit with the cash income from local agricultural labour (weeding and harvesting). There is also an income for the very poor, poor and middle from the petty trade. Expenditure Patterns A normal year ( ) The poor and very poor wealth groups spend more on staple food purchase. The absolute expenditure on the non staple (sugar and oil), household items (tea/coffee, sale, soap, kerosene and etc.), input (livestock restocking, drugs, and salt), social services (education/ health) and clothes increases from the poor to the better-off wealth group. All wealth groups do spend on non-essential other items and there is also some savings other clothes social serv. inputs water HH items non-staple food staple food The graph provides a breakdown of total cash expenditure according to category of expenditure. Hazards Frost is the major hazard affecting this livelihood zone. Frost is most severe in the higher elevations and affects mainly enset and barley. There are no other hazards regularly effecting the zone. Coping Strategies When faced with a hazard, households of all wealth groups will increase the sale of livestock. The middle and betteroff have the ability to sell more animals. Another strategy use particularly among poor households is to shift the expenditure on the non-essential items to the purchase of staple food.

5 Summary The Guji- Borena Enset, Barley and Cattle Livelihood zone (GBC) Livelihood Zone is a highland area characterized being generally food secure and producing a moderate crop surplus. It is also considered to be one of the wettest places in Ethiopia. The main economy of the livelihood zone is crop production which is complemented by livestock rearing. The major crops grown in the zone are enset, barley and pulses. Livestock like cattle, sheep and horses are also important in the area. In addition to the primary productive activities, residents in this zone earn additional income from honey production and local agricultural labor. The Market access of the GBC livelihood zone is rated to be moderate thanks to relatively good road conditions and the proximity of the local markets to the urban centers such as Dila and Hagere Mariam. Being dependent on the crop production, the land holding is the chief determinant of wealth. The major source of food for all wealth groups is own production complimented to varying degree by staple food purchase. The major sources of cash income for all wealth groups are crop and livestock sales. The staple food purchase for the poor and very poor make up the primary expenses. The middle and better-off spend greater amount on other non-essential items and are able to earn some savings. Frost is the major hazard in the zone. Increased sale of livestock and switching expenditures are the major coping strategies employed to cope with hazards.