SNNPR Livelihood Profile

Transcription

1 SNNPR Livelihood Profile Omo Valley Maize and Sorghum Zone August Zone Description The is a lowland area that is food secure in most years. It is, however, vulnerable to drought due to a high dependence on crops and livestock as sources of food and income and relatively low cash income levels. The zone includes most of the lowland areas of Kindo Koysha and Offa woredas in Wolayita Administrative Zone and Loma Bosa in Dawro Administrative Zone. The landscape is not uniform throughout the livelihood zone. While the Wolayita part is characterized by extensive flat land that stretches from the edge of the Omo Valley to the foothills of other adjacent livelihood zones, the Dawro part is highly undulating and stony. The livelihood zone is traversed by the Omo River, the largest river in the region. There are a wide variety of indigenous plant species, the most widespread of which is acacia. The lowest part of the valley is completely uninhabited due to the high prevalence of malaria and trypanosomiasis (gendi). While the fertile soils and abundant vegetation should be conducive to agricultural settlement and animal husbandry, the prevalence of these diseases have severely constrained the potential of this area. For the same reason, although there are expansive unsettled and uncultivated areas, the population density is high in the settled areas. Total annual rainfall is about 900 mm. The meher is the main cultivation season for teff, haricot beans, and sweet potatoes. Belg rainfall is also important for the cultivation of long cycle crops, of which the most important are maize and sorghum. The agricultural cycle lasts for a year beginning with land preparation in January and ending with threshing in December. The main food crops are maize, sorghum, haricot beans and sweet potatoes. Subsidiary food crops such as taro and yams are also cultivated. The main cash crop is teff. Livestock ownership is a major determinant of wealth in the area and cattle and goats are reared. There is a shortage of oxen, however, compared to the availability of land and trypanosomiasis is partly to blame for this. Local employment opportunities are limited and are generally restricted to agricultural work for better off households. Commercial plantations in Woito (within the Omo Valley) have recently opened a new opportunity for migrant laborers. However, as people are not accustomed to migration, this opportunity is not yet fully exploited. Markets Market access is limited and mainly confined to the emerging small towns along the Sodo-Jimma road. Areas distant from the road have poor market access. The main markets in the livelihood zone are Bele (in Kindo Koysha woreda) and Loma (in Loma Bosa woreda). Trade interaction with external markets was difficult in the livelihood zone in general, and particularly in the Dawro part of the zone, until this road was constructed a decade ago. Apart from local sales, the main destination market for the crops and livestock exported from the zone is Sodo, the largest town in Wolayita Administrative Zone. Kocho (the enset bread ) is imported from the neighboring Maize and Root Crop Livelihood Zones. Mele k o z a I s a r a T o c h a G o f a Z u r i a L o m a Bosa Kindo Koysha W Ofa N S E 1 Fieldwork for the current profile was undertaken in August The information presented refers to July June 2004 (Hamle 1995 to Sene 1996 in the Ethiopian calendar), a relatively average year by local standards (i.e. a year of average production and rural food security, when judged in the context of recent years). 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 2010).

2 2 Seasonal Calendar Long-cycle crops (maize and sorghum) are planted during the belg rainy season. Short-cycle crops (including teff and haricot beans) are planted at the beginning of the kremt rainy season. Green maize harvesting starts in July, and this marks the end of the annual hunger season. All crops are harvested in October to December. Milk production is worst during the rainy seasons. Livestock sales are most important during the hunger season (when households need cash) and during the periods of high demand, particularly the holiday months of April and September. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Seasons Belg Meher Crops Legend planting cons. green harvest Land preparation Maize Teff Sorghum Haricot beans Sweet potato Other Hunger season Food purchases Livestock sales Milk production Local ag. labor Labor migration Rainfall Pattern Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Wealth Breakdown Wealth in the Omo Valley Lowland Livelihood Zone is determined by two key factors: the size of land and the number of livestock owned by different households. Landholdings are quite large in this livelihood zone compared to other parts of SNNPR. The ownership of plow oxen is an important indicator of wealth. HH size Land area cultivated Livestock Poor ha 0 plow oxen, 0-1 cattle, 1-3 goats Middle ha Better-off ha % of population Wealth Group Information 1-2 plow oxen, 2-5 cattle, 2-3 goats 2 plow oxen, 3-6 cattle, 2-4 goats, 0-1 donkey Poor households usually work for middle or better off households in exchange for oxen usage. This means that they often do not cultivate in a timely manner and, consequently, obtain lower yields.

3 3 Sources of Food An average year ( ) The graph shows the pattern of access to food for different types of household in a year of average crop production ( ). July represented the start of the consumption year because that was when the green maize harvest started, marking the end of the annual hunger season. The contribution of own crop production to annual food increased with wealth. Although small, the contribution of own livestock products (mainly milk) also increased with wealth. The contribution of purchased food was fairly similar across wealth groups, primarily because poor households received food aid in the reference year, thus reducing their need to purchase food. The main foods purchased were maize, kocho, and haricot beans. Sources of Cash An average year ( ) The graph provides a breakdown of total cash income according to income source. Annual income (ETB) 750-1,000 1,000-1,500 1,500-2,500 1 relief food purchase payment in kind livestock products own crops 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. other casual employment livestock sales livestock product sales crop sales This bar graph shows the various sources of cash income for each wealth group in the livelihood zone in the reference year (July 2003 June 2004). Incomes are generally low in this livelihood zone compared to other zones in SNNPR. Better off households earned just over double that of poor households. The middle and better off groups relied entirely on crop and livestock sales income, supplemented by a small amount of income from livestock product sales. In addition to these sources, poor households obtained cash income from casual agricultural work for better off households and from other sources, including grass and firewood sales and petty trade.

4 4 Expenditure Patterns An average year ( ) The graph provides a percentage breakdown of expenditure by category for different wealth groups in the reference year. The amount of cash spent on each expenditure category, as well as the quantity and quality of items purchased, varies significantly by wealth group. As expected, given the differences in crop production, the percentage of income spent on staple food decreased as wealth increased. Inputs included seeds, tools, fertilizer, livestock drugs, and payment for labor. The jump in expenditure on inputs for the better off represented additional expenditure on all of these items, but on fertilizer and agricultural labor in particular. Only the better off paid for agricultural labor. The graph provides a breakdown of total cash expenditure according to category of expenditure. The category household items included coffee, salt, soap, kerosene, grinding and utensils. Other included tax, social obligations, ceremonies, savings and investment in livestock. The category social services included spending on education and health. Hazards The is subject to a number of hazards that may result problems at household level. The main hazards affecting the zone are: Drought. Rainfall is unreliable in this livelihood zone, particularly in the eastern side of the zone (in Wolayita Administrative Zone). Drought, which can include a late start to the rains and/or an uneven distribution of rainfall, is the single most important cause of acute food insecurity in the zone. A late start to the belg rains is especially significant, resulting in an extended and more severe hunger season than usual through the delay of the green harvest of maize. Livestock disease. Trypanosomiasis is the most serious livestock disease in this livelihood zone and has negative effects on household food sources, cash income and expenditure. It directly causes animal deaths, reduces milk production and forces households to purchase large amounts of drugs. Furthermore, although pasture is abundantly available, the high prevalence of trypanosomiasis has deterred the ownership of large numbers of livestock and has also deterred the expansion of agricultural land because of limited oxen ownership. Malaria. Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity in this livelihood zone. The disease does not only affect labor availability at household level (potentially resulting in lost food and income), it also forces households to spend money on medication. Response Strategies Households respond to hazards in a variety of ways. All wealth groups increase the sale of livestock and reduce expenditure on non-essential items, to the extent that this is possible, in years of drought. In addition to these strategies, poor household members attempt to intensify the amount of local casual work that they do and migrate to areas with state farms in search of work. In response to malaria, communities attempt to drain swamps and stagnant water bodies. The purchase of subsidized mosquito nets has been common since last year, but it the continuation of the subsidies and associated low prices is uncertain. In response to trypanosomiasis, farmers try to avoid keeping their animals at very low altitudes during April May, when tse-tse flies breed and the disease is particularly problematic. other clothes social services inputs HH items non-staple food staple food

5 5 Indicators of Imminent Crisis Belg season Meher season Jan Feb March April May Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Delayed belg rains delays planting of long-cycle crops Unusually bad outbreak of trypanosomiasis in April - May Delay of kremt rains affects planting of short-cycle crops and development of long-cycle Insufficient or erratic rainfall affects all crops Insufficient or erratic rainfall affects all crops The graphic presents the likely sequence of indicators in the lead up to a food crisis. There are several indicators for the livelihood zone, including those related to rainfall, staple food prices, and harvest timing. There are certain problems that are not time specific. Trypanosomiasis is prevalent throughout the year, but is worst in April May. Malaria is also a problem throughout the year, but the maximum prevalence occurs during the rainy seasons.