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Viewing cable 06NAIROBI1881, USAID/OFDA Southern Somalia

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06NAIROBI1881 2006-05-02 13:51 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Nairobi
VZCZCXYZ0014
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNR #1881/01 1221351
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021351Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1380
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 6930
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 8478
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 4162
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1662
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4897
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3903
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS NAIROBI 001881 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC AFDROUGHT 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NGAREY 
STATE PASS TO USAID/W 
USAID/W FOR AA/DCHA, WGARVELINK, LROGERS 
DCHA/OFDA FOR GGOTTLIEB, PMORRIS, CGOTTSCHALK, 
KCHANNELL 
DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN, MANDERSON 
AFR/EA FOR JBORNS 
USUN FOR EMALY 
ADDIS ABABA FOR JAUGSBERGER 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
ROME FOR FODAG 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
NSC FOR JMELINE, TSHORTLEY 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID SO
 
SUBJECT:  USAID/OFDA Southern Somalia 
Humanitarian Update (CORRECTED COPY TO NAIROBI 01875) 
 
REF: NAIROBI 01875 
 
Summary 
 
ΒΆ1.  Somalia is experiencing the worst drought in 
a decade, compounded by the effects of fifteen 
years of armed conflict that has destroyed public 
infrastructure and basic services, and stressed 
the population?s coping strategies.  The majority 
of the 2.1 million drought-affected people 
resides in southern Somalia, where two successive 
failed rainy seasons resulted in the depletion of 
water and pasture, near crop failure, increased 
 
livestock mortality, and irregular population 
migration.  Malnutrition is increasing, as are 
opportunistic illnesses, such as diarrhea, 
respiratory infections, measles, and polio. 
Resource-based tensions have flared as 
pastoralists and farmers vie for scarce water. 
Thankfully, the rains have arrived, providing a 
slight reprieve to the affected population; 
however, continued rains are required for the 
population to fully recover.  USAID Office of 
U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) 
partners are working diligently to provide 
emergency assistance in the challenging 
environment.  Humanitarian assistance will be 
required until the end of 2006 and USAID/OFDA is 
preparing to expand operations in the most 
affected areas.  End summary. 
 
Malnutrition Rising 
 
While food insecurity is chronic throughout 
southern Somalia, malnutrition rates and 
admissions to feeding programs have risen in 
recent months. 
 
In Gedo Region, the USAID-supported Food Security 
Analysis Unit (FSAU) Nutrition Surveillance Unit 
conducted a 30 by 30 cluster nutrition survey in 
late March, in collaboration with non- 
governmental organizations (NGOs) and U.N. 
agencies operating in the region.  The findings 
reveal global acute malnutrition (GAM) of 23.8 
percent and severe acute malnutrition of 3.7 
percent, indicating a critical nutrition 
situation for nearly one quarter of the children 
under five.  According to FSAU, the current GAM 
rate is higher than the estimated long-term 
average of 20 percent in the region.  Therapeutic 
feeding centers (TFCs) supported by the Gedo 
Health Consortium also report increased 
admissions in recent months. 
 
In Bay Region, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) 
Switzerland conducted a similar nutrition survey 
in Qansaxdhere District in January, revealing GAM 
and SAM rates of 19.4 percent and 1.8 percent, 
respectively.  FSAU sentinel site data from other 
districts in Bay Region indicate consistently 
high malnutrition, between 10 and 20 percent, 
among children under five.  FSAU reports that 
food distributions by USAID partners CARE and the 
U.N. World Food Program (WFP) have improved food 
consumption and increased dietary diversity 
throughout Bay, raising hopes for improved 
nutrition in coming weeks. 
 
 
In Bakool Region, FSAU, Action Contre la Faim 
(ACF), and the U.N. Children?s Fund (UNICEF) 
conducted nutritional surveys in Wajid District 
in January, reporting GAM and SAM rates of 14.7 
percent and 2.2 percent, respectively.  Also in 
January, International Medical Corps (IMC), 
UNICEF, and FSAU carried out assessments outside 
of Wajid District that indicate 15.9 percent GAM 
and 1.4 percent SAM rates.  The malnutrition 
levels are consistent with results from the last 
formal survey conducted in Bakool in 2002, 
indicating chronic malnutrition. 
 
Between January and March, however, USAID/OFDA 
partners report that admissions to TFCs and 
supplementary feeding centers (SFCs) have risen 
in Bakool Region due to in-migration of 
malnourished children from other regions and 
increased morbidity among the population.  FSAU 
sentinel sites in Bakool report fluctuating 
nutrition trends in April with pockets of 
improvement thanks to in-migration of livestock 
and increase of milk consumption following the 
rains.  Other sites, however, are experiencing a 
decrease in milk availability as pastoralists and 
livestock return to Ethiopia. 
 
In Juba Valley Region, FSAU sentinel site 
surveillance reveals that approximately 15 
percent of riverine commumnities present signs of 
malnutrition.  The figure is slightly better than 
in neighboring Gedo, Bay, and Bakool regions. 
FSAU attributes the lower rates in Juba Valley to 
higher consumption and sale of mangos that were 
in season, sale of vegetables and food to in- 
migrating pastoralists, access to milk from these 
pastoralists, and improved availability of 
cereals thanks to the recessional harvest of late 
2005 and food distributions by WFP.  MSF Holland 
reports that TFC admissions in Juba Valley are 
consistent with seasonal fluctuations. 
 
In response to increasing reports of malnutrition 
in southern Somalia, UNICEF is opening 18 new 
supplementary feeding programs (SFPs) in Bay, 
Bakool, and Middle Juba regions in partnership 
with international and local NGOs.  ACF, MSF 
Belgium, and IMC are also implementing five new 
TFCs in Bakool.  According to the U.N. Office for 
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 
28 SFPs and 7 TFCs will be operational in 
southern Somalia by May. 
 
Drought Affecting Health 
 
Malnourished and drought-weakened communities are 
increasingly susceptible to opportunistic 
illnesses.  U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) 
health surveillance data reveals increasing cases 
of diarrhea, malaria, and respiratory infections 
in recent months.  In March, USAID-supported 
Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) 
traveled to Gedo Region and reported that 45 
people had died as a direct consequence of the 
drought; due to malnutrition, lack of water, or 
water-borne diseases.  Ten people had died after 
drinking water from shallow wells in two villages 
 
in El Wak District.  Gedo residents, concerned 
about contaminated water, rely solely on water 
trucking for their water. 
 
Polio resurfaced in Somalia for the first time 
since 2002.  WHO confirmed 202 wild polio cases 
since July 2005, of which 19 cases were 
identified in 2006.  Early cases appeared in 
Mogadishu; however, the most recent cases were 
confirmed in drought-affected Gedo, Lower 
Shabelle, Bay, and Lower Juba regions.  In 
response, UNICEF, WHO, and partner NGOs launched 
a nationwide polio immunization campaign in 
March, targeting 1.4 million children.  A second 
round is planned for early May. 
 
WHO also reported an increase in measles cases 
treated at health facilities in recent months. 
In March, UNICEF and partners embarked on a 
large-scale measles vaccination campaign, 
targeting 2.5 million children in central and 
southern Somalia.  UNICEF and partners carried 
out similar campaigns in Somaliland and Puntland 
earlier in 2006. 
 
Water Remains Scarce 
 
Access to safe water is a cross-cutting issue, 
affecting livelihoods, agriculture, health, and 
nutrition.  Two successive failed rainy seasons 
have severely depleted water sources for the 
population dependent on subsistence agriculture 
and pastoralism.  Even in normal times, the U.N. 
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian 
Affairs (OCHA) estimates that only 30 percent of 
the population in Somalia has access to safe 
water.  FEWS NET reports that current expenditure 
on water, and other non-food items, counts for 80 
to 90 percent of poor and middle income 
households expenditure, up from 30 to 40 percent 
in normal years. 
 
From April 15 to 20, USAID/OFDA partner Adventist 
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) carried out 
a needs assessment in Dinsor District, Bay 
Region.  Communities visited site water as their 
most critical need.  ADRA reports that only three 
to four liter of water are available per person 
per day, which is far less than the 15 liters 
recommended by international humanitarian 
standards.  Most villages reported that drinking 
water sources are between 8 to 20 kilometers away 
and that many women were forced to walk this 
distance on a daily basis for water.  U.N. 
agencies report similar conditions throughout 
drought-affected districts. 
 
U.N. agencies, the International Committee of the 
Red Cross (ICRC), and international and local 
NGOs are carrying out a wide variety of emergency 
water interventions in southern Somalia. 
Projects include water catchment and dam 
desilting, well chlorination, enhancements of 
hand dug and shallow wells, rehabilitation of 
boreholes, repair and construction of latrines, 
construction of new well and boreholes, and water 
trucking. 
 
USAID/OFDA has partnered with UNICEF to carry out 
emergency water interventions in affected 
communities throughout Somalia.  USAID/OFDA 
partners ACF, World Concern, and ADRA are 
rehabilitating existing water catchments and 
wells and digging new wells in Bakool and Middle 
Juba regions.  USAID/OFDA is currently reviewing 
proposals for additional interventions in Gedo, 
Bay, and Lower Juba regions. 
 
Depleted Livestock, Agriculture, and Livelihoods 
 
Limited access to potable water remains critical 
and household food security is stressed.  Scarce 
water and pasture resulted in irregular 
population movements during the dry season, as 
people and livestock migrated in search of water. 
USAID/OFDA partners reported increased presence 
of pastoralists and livestock in agricultural, 
riverine areas, resulting in increased tension 
and resource-based conflict among the two 
communities. 
 
USAID/OFDA partners note that cattle deaths were 
above normal levels for the dry season.  While 
exact figures are difficult to ascertain, 
estimates are as high as 80 percent mortality 
among cattle and 50 percent among goats and sheep 
in parts of Gedo and Lower Juba regions. 
Simultaneously, livestock prices dropped and 
cereal prices escalated.  According to FEWS NET, 
in Gedo Region a cow in good condition sells for 
less than half the normal price for this time of 
year; down to 70 U.S. dollars (USD) from USD 150. 
 
To mitigate the effects of high livestock 
mortality and low prices, destocking programs 
were initiated.  Since January, the International 
Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) has destocked 
approximately 30,000 animals in the most affected 
regions.  The U.N. Food and Agriculture 
Organization (FAO) is targeting an additional 
5,000 animals for destocking in Gedo, Juba 
Valley, and Bakool regions. 
 
USAID/OFDA partner World Concern, operational in 
Juba riverine areas, reports that agro- 
pastoralists and agriculturalists are preparing 
farms for planting; however, a critical shortage 
of seed is hampering efforts.  Due to the limited 
availability and high prices of cereals during 
the dry period, farmers consumed much of their 
seed stock. 
 
To help prepare farmers for the current planting 
season, World Vision and FAO plan to provide 
seeds to vulnerable farmers in Qansaxdhere 
District in Bay Region and Jilib, Buale, and 
Sakow districts in Middle Juba Region.  ACF and 
ICRC are also distributing seeds provided by FAO 
in Bakool Region.  In total, ICRC and FAO will 
target an estimated 45,000 households for seeds 
and planting materials, in addition to the 
smaller-scale endeavors of local and 
international NGOs. 
 
Rains Begin 
 
The long rains arrived in full force in April in 
parts southern and northwest Somalia, bringing 
slight relief to the drought-affected population. 
According to FEWS NET, good rains fell in the 
southern regions of Gedo, Lower and Middle Juba, 
and parts of Lower Shabelle, Bay, and Bakool 
regions. 
 
FEWS NET reports that rainfall was 60 to 100 
percent above normal between March 1 and April 20 
throughout much of southern Somalia.  Heavy rains 
fell during the first ten days (dekad) of April, 
with cumulative rainfall levels reaching up to 
100 mm in some parts of Gedo, Middle and Lower 
Juba, and Bay regions.  However, rains are poorly 
distributed with some districts reporting only 
scant showers.  According to FEWS NET, during the 
last week of April, rainfall levels varied in 
southern Somalia from below 10 mm in some areas 
to over 150 mm in others. 
 
Localized flash floods occurred along the Juba 
and Shabelle rivers as a result of the heavy 
rainfall, dry soil, poor drainage, and bursting 
riverbanks.  FEWS NET and the U.S. Geological 
Survey (USGS) are monitoring for riverine floods, 
especially as the Juba and Shabelle rivers 
receive continued runoff from the Ethiopia 
highlands. 
 
USAID/OFDA patners report that scattered rains 
are replenishing water sources and pastoralists 
are returning to traditional grazing lands away 
from the congested riverine areas, reducing 
competition for resources there.  Vegetation and 
browse conditions are slowly improving in heavy 
rainfall areas; however, continued rain is needed 
for full regeneration of pasture.  While some 
pastoralists are beginning to return to grazing 
areas, many are still gathered at major water 
points in Bakool and Bay regions where USAID/OFDA 
partners IMC, World Vision, and ADRA report 
pockets of below normal rainfall. 
 
According to World Vision, in the agricultural 
districts of Tieglow, Huddor, El Barde, many 
farmers dry planted in anticipation of coming 
rains, but risk losing the seeds if sufficient 
rain does not materialize.  USAID/OFDA partners 
indicate that rains tapered off significantly in 
late April, allowing farmers to plant and crops 
to germinate.  Consistent rains in May will be 
essential to secure a good harvest. 
 
Conclusions and Recommendations 
 
Although the long rainy season is generally off 
to a good start, it is still too early to 
determine the overall performance of the season. 
Distressed populations and weakened livestock 
will continue to be vulnerable during the rainy 
season, which presents additional health and 
livelihood risks.  According to FEWS NET, at 
least two consecutive, good rainy seasons are 
needed for any significant livestock 
reproduction. 
 
The humanitarian situation and response in 
 
southern Somalia requires close monitoring, 
particularly due to the constantly changing 
security environment.  USAID will continue to 
monitor humanitarian conditions and plan 
interventions accordingly. 
 
If the long rains are below normal, increased 
numbers of vulnerable populations will face a 
humanitarian catastrophe with famine conditions 
likely emerging within the next few months. 
However, even if rains are good, continued 
emergency assistance will be required until the 
end of 2006  due to the severely depleted 
livelihood assets in the drought-affected 
regions. 
 
Food assistance will be vital throughout the year 
to prevent a further increases in malnutrition. 
USAID Food for Peace should continue efforts to 
import food through all available ports, 
regardless of insecurity. 
 
Aside from food assistance, USAID/OFDA, through 
partner UNICEF, is addressing emergent water, 
health, and nutrition needs throughout drought 
prone regions.  USAID/OFDA will continue to 
support ACF, ADRA, World Concern, and IMC to 
implement water and sanitation, health and 
nutrition, and livelihood support programs in 
Bakool and Middle Juba regions.  USAID/OFDA 
should negotiate with current and potential 
partners to scale up programs in the most 
affected districts of Gedo, Juba Valley, and Bay 
regions. 
 
In addition to support for water, health, and 
nutrition, livelihood support programs are 
critical at this time.  Cash for work, cash 
grants, and livestock support programs will help 
pastoralist and agricultural communities cope 
with the multiple shocks incurred by the drought. 
USAID should promote these interventions among 
current and potential partners in southern 
Somalia. 
 
BELLAMY