OCHA Situation Report No. 8
Somalia
5 - 19 April 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Note: The prior reports in this series were named "OCHA Somalia: Drought 
Newsletter"

Update

Rains: The primary Gu rainy season commenced in the first week of April. 
The south received good rains over a period of roughly three days, 
(Gedo, Middle Juba, Lower Juba, Bay and parts of Lower Shabelle) with 
the exception of parts of Hiran Region and Adale and Warsheikh districts 
in Middle Shabelle. (Somalia Rain Watch or look at www.fews.net).

Rains have provided some shortterm relief; replenished water sources and 
prompted some migrations of pastoralists from riverine and farming areas 
into the traditional grazing areas in the hinterland (Somalia Rain 
Watch).

However, reports from the field suggest that the spatial distribution of 
rain has been scattered and some districts of the south have remained 
dry. These areas will be highlighted in future Somalia Humanitarian 
Response Overviews.

The upper catchments of Juba and Shabelle rivers in the Ethiopian 
highlands have also received heavy rain, which has increased river 
levels - although river levels still remain relatively low for this time 
of year in Somalia. The Somali/Kenyan border also received good rains.

Satellite images indicate and field reports confirm that Awdal and Hawd 
of Hargiesa have received a moderate amount of rainfall over 7-14 April. 
However, Togdheer, Sanaag, Sool, Bari, Nugal, Mudug and Galgadud regions 
received only light showers, which did not have a major impact in terms 
of water availability for people or livestock. Berkads in the Hawd and 
Sool plateau livelihood zones are reported to be dry, and water trucking 
continues in Burao, Odweine and Ainabo districts. Although rains have 
been adequate so far, it is too early to determine the overall 
performance of the Gu season. The Food Security Analysis Unit Somalia 
will make a statement on the overall food security and livelihood 
outlook in late May 2006.

Security/Access: Humanitarian access remains critical to the 2.1 million 
most vulnerable population in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and 
protection. On 10 April, a 72 lorry WFP convoy heading out for drought 
stricken areas outside Baidoa was halted by a roadblock. Two militiamen 
were killed and four guards were wounded in subsequent attempt to remove 
the roadblock. An MP from the interim parliament tried to negotiate with 
the gunmen but was himself injured. The convoy finally managed to return 
to Baidoa with all its cargo of maize, beans, cooking oil and porridge 
intact. The distribution resumed on 12 April once the situation calmed 
down.

At the end of March, clashes erupted between warlords and extremists in 
the capital, Mogadishu. This represents some of the worst violence in 
almost a decade and needs close monitoring. If it continues to escalate 
and spread it will have serious implications and likely cause a massive 
population movement away from the city. It will also affect the ability 
of aid agencies to provide protection to civilians as well as providing 
key humanitarian relief to drought stricken areas in the south.

Over the last nine months, sea piracy along the Somali coastline has 
impacted on humanitarian supply pipelines into southern Somalia. Because 
of hijackings, WFP has also had to transport food aid into Somalia 
overland through Kenya. In terms of security, the recent move by Prime 
Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi to grant permission to allow US Navy vessels 
to patrol Somali waters to fight piracy is welcome.

WFP reported that an increased number of roadblocks, as well as heavy 
rains has slowed down the delivery of their food relief in some areas of 
southern Somalia. As a contingency measure and in case airdrops are 
needed in future, WFP have also identified relevant field locations and 
are also carrying out training of staff.

Juba valley (southern Somalia) remains an area with critical 
humanitarian needs but insecurity has made it difficult for UN agencies 
and INGOs to operate in the area. A recent positive development is that 
Horn Relief and Oxfam GB have proposed to initiate a cash for work 
project in the area to help improve accessibility to food and help 
relieve the debt burden of households.

Ongoing response

Protection

Since the start of the rains, population movements generally reflect the 
expected seasonal patterns but also reflect the stress that the Somali 
people are currently experiencing. As mentioned on page one there has 
been a de-concentration of pastoralist families in the riverine areas as 
those who still have animals move in search of grazing land and water. 
This has led to a logically scattered trek back into the traditional 
grazing lands of the hinterland where some rain has fallen. Those 
non-pastoralists or those who have lost most or all of their livestock 
and other assets remain in the urban areas, both in search of 
alternative opportunities or humanitarian aid.

The majority of the displacement recorded within the first two weeks of 
April related to whole families, pastoralist as well as IDPs, with both 
drought and conflict as the primary reasons for the movement. 2,271 
pastoralist families moved to Belet Hawa town and surrounding areas, 
north and south. Furthermore, 210 pastoralist families were reported to 
have arrived in the settlement of Kulanjareer, and 200 pastoralist 
families settled on the northern outskirts of Wajid town.

IDP movement was also recorded towards the outskirts of Luuq town and 
Wajid town (2500 IDP families). In addition, 1,360 families were 
reported to have arrived in Qansaxdhere town.

Protection needs remain greatest amongst those already vulnerable, 
especially protracted IDP communities, who are increasingly burdened by 
the new displacements ongoing. In addition, population movement tracking 
and analysis while headed by the Protection Cluster is a cross-cluster 
activity, in which displacements and protection information are being 
passed to the key clusters i.e., food, water and health, in order that 
humanitarian assistance can be targeted toward the most vulnerable. This 
is being done with the full knowledge that aid is itself a pull factor 
that can affect the normal movement patterns and coping mechanisms of 
the Somali people.

Food security

5,000 Mt of food is currently being distributed in Baidoa and Dinsor 
districts while WFP is currently planning their second round of drought 
relief food distribution. Since late February a total of 11,800 Mt of 
food have been distributed to 730,000 beneficiaries in south Somalia and 
a total of 1,700 Mt of food has been distributed in the north. WFP is 
proposing to do a rapid assessment in the north east - which has still 
received no rain - and where some districts are reportedly suffering 
from chronic drought conditions.

CARE has recently completed food distributions in Gedo and has begun 
water trucking and borehole rehabilitation in affected areas of El Waq. 
Similar activities are in the pipeline for Dolow and Belet Hawa; the 
next food distribution in Gedo is scheduled to take place at the end of 
April.

ICRC interventions continue in Gedo, Lower Juba, Bakol, Lower Shabelle, 
Mudug and Galgadud involving food distributions (and the rehabilitation 
of strategic water-points, veterinary interventions and seed 
distributions).

Agriculture and livelihoods

The Gu planting season is under preparation. Major actors include ICRC 
and FAO covering respectively 23,000 and 24,600 households. With 
resources available, it is estimated that close to 50% of the estimated 
needy families will receive planting material (sorghum and cowpea 
seeds).

FAO is procuring some 492 Mt of sorghum and cowpea from Wajid (21 Mt), 
Baidoa (255 Mt), Belet Weyne (71 Mt), Afmadow (11,6 Mt), Garbaharey 
(18,4 Mt), Bardheere (107 Mt) and Dolow (8 Mt). Distribution was 
concluded in Wajid (FAO/ACF). Seeds are being bagged in Belet Weyne for 
distribution in Belet Weyne (FAO/DRC) and Balcad (FAO/Agrosphere), while 
seed testing is on-going at both Nairobi and field level, for the 
samples received from the other locations.

Livestock and pastoralist activities continue to focus on de-stocking, 
animal health and water trucking.

Health

In the last two weeks UNICEF and WHO reviewed their plans to implement 
key drought response activities including improving stocks of emergency 
drugs and supplies, strengthening surveillance and early warning, 
expanding of health care through mobile clinics, and reinforcing ongoing 
immunization activities. In support of the drought response, WHO is 
planning on implementing an intensive course on Communicable Disease 
Control and Emergency Response in Merka, Lower Shabelle and aimed at 
MOH, UN, Health coordinators, NGOs and Health Facility representatives 
and also the hiring of a nutritionist for a 2 month period to carry out 
specific drought related activities. As malaria is endemic in the south, 
a recent shipment of 60,000 Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) will be 
distributed to vulnerable groups in drought stricken areas.

Nutrition

Gedo Nutrition Assessment: The preliminary findings of the Gedo Region 
nutrition assessment conducted in late March (excluding Bardera Town) 
indicate global acute malnutrition rate of 23.8 % and severe acute 
malnutrition rate of 3.7%. This is way above internationally accepted 
cut off rates of 15% and indicates a critical nutrition situation. The 
mortality rates indicate an alert situation. Crude and under five 
mortality rates were 1.04/ 10000/ day and 2.46/10000/day respectively. 
The Gedo population relies on both international and informal 
assistance, and there is need for increased assistance to avert 
increased mortality. A high prevalence of communicable disease and poor 
diet was noted. Detailed analysis of the findings is currently on-going 
- for more information please see www.fsausomali.org.

A nutrition assessment conducted in January 2006 in Qansaxdheere (Bay 
Region) indicates a critical nutrition situation (global acute 
malnutrition of 19.4%). Currently a collaboration effort between MSF-CH 
and Somali Red Crescent Society (SCRS) facilitates referral of severely 
malnourished children from Qansadheere District to MSFCH managed Dinsor 
Therapeutic Feeding Centre.

The ACF managed Wajid Therapeutic Feeding Centre opened in March 2006 
and 109 severely malnourished children were admitted in same month. 
These are mainly from the IDP camps, Wajid town and the surrounding 
villages. There were about 90 in-charges in the Wajid Therapeutic 
Feeding Centre (as of 18th April 2006).

Water and Sanitation

Despite the arrival of rain in the most drought affected areas of 
southern Somalia, water trucking remains critical. It takes time for 
shallow wells to be filled and the pressure on boreholes to ease. Water 
trucking is taking place in over 40 locations in Bay, Bakol, Gedo and 
Middle Juba. Chlorination activities continue to be conducted to prevent 
the spread of communicable/waterborne diseases such as malaria, cholera 
and diarrhea. Rehabilitation of boreholes and deepening of shadow wells 
are ongoing in the aforementioned four regions as is the de-silting of 
50 dams. These activities will impact not only on the short-term drought 
response but Somalia's longer-term capacity to cope with drought 
conditions. Key constraints to project implementation have been the 
limited availability of permanent water sources making some water 
trucking operations difficult and the general security situations in the 
areas.

Education

Somalia has one of the lowest school attendance rates in the world - and 
reports on the ground suggest that the drought has caused this 
attendance rate to drop even further as families move in search of food, 
pasture and water. UNICEF has been conducting a school attendance survey 
in Bay, Bakol, Middle Juba and Lower Juba and Gedo (during month of 
April). Consolidated results of this assessment (looking at impact of 
drought on school attendance in February) will be released in early May. 
In efforts to restore school attendance rates, UNICEF and WFP have 
finalized a Pilot Emergency School Feeding project, which is part of the 
education drought strategic response. Implementation will start in May 
through World Concern for Lower Juba, World Vision and Save the Children 
UK for Middle Juba, Intersos for Bay, Norwegian Church Aid for Gedo and 
ADRA for Hiran region.

The education cluster recognizes there have been some gaps in terms of 
drought response mostly due to funding and humanitarian access 
constraints. However, these have been overcome and in an effort to 
improve school attendance rates, UNICEF and the NGOs involved in the 
education sector have been discussing and finalizing Project Agreements 
with NGOs (working on the ground - as outlined in the paragraph above) 
with the aim of pushing up school attendance to pre-drought levels 
through school feeding, school tents, distribution of educational 
materials and incentives to teachers.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International              web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information          listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                                guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -