Food assistance needed in Djibouti after poor rainy season

By Kevin James Moore

9 February 2010 [MediaGlobal]: A poor rainy season in the east African country of Djibouti is causing concern. The Heys/Dada rains, which last from October to February and on which farmers depend for the growth of pastures to feed their livestock, have been insufficient this past season. The Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWSNET), a USAID-funded initiative that collaborates with international, regional, and national partners to provide timely early warning and vulnerability information on food security issues, released a food security alert for Djibouti detailing the situation caused by the lack of rain.
FEWSNET expects the situation to worsen as food and income from animal sources decline over the coming months, and they are calling for emergency food assistance. The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) is intervening to offer aid.

An African herder maintaining a flock of goats. (Photo credit: Laurie Sales/Creative Commons.)

“WFP is following the current situation in Djibouti closely, together with the government and other partners, and is concerned by the poor performance of the rains in some parts the country,” Peter Smerdon of the WFP told MediaGlobal. General food rations have been provided to 25,000 vulnerable people by the WFP. The 25,000 that are receiving rations are a reduced number from the 80,000 the WFP was assisting in May 2009. November is normally considered the month for peak rainfall in Djibouti, but this year saw little rainfall, putting many of the pastoral farmers in jeopardy, according to FEWSNET. Animal mortality rates are expected to increase, adding further strain on herders’ livelihoods after they lost 50 to 70 percent of their livestock in 2008 due to severe drought. Households in the northwest and southeast pastoral zones are unable to meet basic water and food needs without external assistance.
In addition to the 25,000 individuals receiving monthly food assistance through general distributions, WFP is planning to roll out food-for-work activities for the moderately food insecure. “Projects are being planned together with regional authorities and include building and/or rehabilitating access roads and agricultural and water supply infrastructure. It is expected that up to 21,500 additional people will benefit from these projects,” said Smerdon.
Most pastoral households are struggling to make a living from their animals. The poor rains have lead to insufficient growth in pastures, resulting in poor conditions for surviving animals. Milk production from goats and cattle is below normal as is their birth rate. FEWSNET’s report warned that livestock prices have been negatively affected since above-average staple food prices are making it difficult for herders to feed their animals.
To combat the difficulties, some pastoral farmers are selling off their remaining livestock, taking children out of school, reducing their food consumption, and immigrating to cities to find casual labor jobs. Of those who are choosing not to migrate to cities, the WFP is using its nutrition program to target over 3,200 of the most vulnerable mothers in order to provide them and their children with food.
Following a May 2009 assessment, the WFP scaled down their general emergency food aid distribution in the most pastoral areas by 74 percent, according to FEWSNET. FEWSNET also said that the WFP is underestimating the size of the population in need. “All WFP food assistance is based on assessments,” said Smerdon. “A new assessment is planned for April this year, which will allow WFP and other actors to adjust and re-target assistance appropriately and where necessary.”
The WFP is working with the government of Djibouti to establish a food security monitoring system that will improve the understanding of who needs assistance. The need for emergency assistance, both food and non-food, will likely increase as the numbers of people depending on aid is expected to increase from 80,000 to 100,000 in the coming months, according to FEWSNET. FEWSNET called the current emergency food aid distribution inadequate to meet these growing demands, and suggested that any program intended to help Djibouti should consider ways to protect the pastoral farmers’ assets.