FINAL REPORT ON SAACID / WFP EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO FLOOD AFFECTED PEOPLE IN JOWHAR AND MAHADAY DISTRICTS IN THE MIDDLE SHABELLE REGION - 2005

 

Type of Project:                                             Emergency Assistance

 

Implementing Agency:                                   SAACID

 

Funding Agency:                                            WFP

 

Location:                                                        Jowhar and Mahaday

 

Duration:                                                        27 April – 1 August 2005

 

Introduction

 

The farming communities that reside on the riverbanks of the Shabelle River - in both the Mahaday and Jowhar Districts of the Middle Shabelle Region – have suffered from the Shabelle River breaking its banks and flooding the surrounding countryside (beginning 27 April 2005). The damage was not only to their homes and modest possessions, but the flooding also destroyed their seasonal harvests - forcing them to become food aid recipients.

 

Rain falling in the Ethiopian highlands far to the west causes significant seasonal increases in the river level. There is no warning system in place to warn villages downstream of impending increases in water levels, so on most occasions downstream villages are completely unprepared.

 

Somalia has been without any functioning central governments since January 1991. Since that time there has been no coordinated process to monitor and repair the embankments of Somali’s 2 river systems – the Juba and Shabelle Rivers. The result has been regular breaks and widespread flooding.

 

Twelve villages - 7 in Jowhar and 5 in Mahaday – suffered from the flooding, and were isolated from the surrounding areas. There were a total of 8 breaks, with 6 of the breaks being relatively minor, and quickly repaired by local villagers. The 2 most serious breaks were at Huriwaay in Mahaday District and Olio Ficcio (Cotton-Oil factory) in Jowhar District.

 

After receiving a request from local leaders, SAACID provided the initial rapid damage assessment on 14 June, and reported that there would be a short-term food shortage in the area, and requested the World Food Programme (WFP) to fill the immediate food gap on 16 June. A partnership agreement between SAACID and WFP was drawn up to provide emergency food assistance for the effected villages – i.e., food would be provided in exchange for work that would target the repair the breaks in the Shabelle River embankment on 30 June.

 

The effected villages were:

 

 

  1. Beexaw
  2. Raqayle
  3. Bardheere
  4. Maagaay
  5. Gaashaanle
  6. Tuugarey
  7. Brimo Assento

 

 

  1. Diinlow

9. Maansuur

10. Eji

11. Huruway

12. Obaale

 

Subject to the SAACID assessment, some 3,470 families benefited from the food aid distribution. According to UN standardised statistics, a Somali family consists of 7 persons - including the 2 parents. This make the total beneficiary number for food aid some 24,290 persons (3,470 X 7). WFP allocated some 211.014 metric tonnes (mt) of food, comprised of cereals, pulses and vegetable oil.

 

Food Aid Distribution

 

      

                                                                                Preparing food for transportation

 

SAACID provided the personnel and logistics for the distribution process. The implementation process began on 26 July 2005 (some 3-months after the flooding began); with the WFP programme Officer arriving in Jowhar on 27 July to oversee the process on behalf of WFP.

 

The joint team conferred with the beneficiaries seeking suggestions for the most appropriate position for the food to be distributed in Mahaday on 28 July. The team focussed on the criteria of a place that was not only suitable for the logistical distribution, but also the accessibility for all beneficiaries.

 

Village representatives were present in a consultation meeting. The communities and the staff of the 2 agencies finally agreed to make the Chinese Canal the distribution point. Village representatives were asked to draw up village lists of families.

 

The village representatives were also requested to inform their communities that the distribution would begin at 10.00 am on 29 July. SAACID staff in Jowhar immediately started preparations for the logistics move – hiring heavy trucks and organising porters. The food was distributed to the beneficiaries in the presence of WFP representative without any controversy at the appointed time.

 

SAACID staff again arranged a consultative meeting with the local authority of Jowhar on 30 July. There the joint team met with the village leaders of the effected 7 Jowhar villages on 31 July. The representatives of the 7 effected villages were asked to nominate an agreed distribution point – giving consideration to both logistical access and easy of beneficiary movement. The village leaders decided to nominate Maandheere Village as the distribution point. It was agreed that the distribution should take place on 1 August. The food was distributed to the beneficiaries in the presence of WFP representative without any controversy at the appointed time.

 

      

 

       

Distributing emergency food aid

 

Food Allocation

 

Location

Activity

Food Allocation

Volume per family

Jowhar and Mahaday

Emergency Aid

Cereals 173.5 mt

50 Kg’s

 

 

Pulses 34.7 mt

10 Kg’s

 

 

Veg. Oil 12.814 mt

3.7 kg’s

 

 

211.014 mt

63.7 Kg’s

 

Head of household by sex:                                                    Male                1,700

                                                                                                Female             1,770

 

Impact

 

The food aid provided the necessary short-term assistance needed by the effected communities; and it provided them with the ability to begin cleaning and repairing farms and river embankments. The distribution was implemented without incident or complaint. All effected villages indicated their warm appreciation for the assistance.

 

The 2 breaks in the river embankment around Huruwaay and Olio Ficcio (Cotton Oil Factory) created ongoing concern for the villagers. As such, the villagers, mobilized by the Mahaday District authority, took immediate preventive measures to repair the breaks. In Huruwaay the villagers used plastic bags filled with moist sand and the break was successfully closed. They then re-started their activities for land preparation for the coming farming season after the flood water dried up.

 

     

 

      

Mending the Huruwaay break

 

The villagers near the Olio Ficcio (Cotton Oil factory) river embankment break failed to seal the gap. The villagers living in the effected area of Jowhar District banded together and closed the break of the river embankment, which was still dangerously leaking water. The people of the other 7 villages in Jowhar District - after securing food rations for their respective families – also began land preparations for a new harvest. They also pondered ways of solving the approaching deyr seasonal rains – fearing a recurrence of the disastrous floods. They are not confident about the repair to the Olio Ficcio break.

 

The Shabelle River water level, which had lowered only a little, was still high – filled with rainfall from the Ethiopian highlands, SAACID is planning to try and establish an emergency task force for the 12 effected villages - providing them with ample training to more effectively collaborate and coordinate in a timely manner in response to floods and fires. Without international coordination it remains impossible to establish a transnational warning system for river level increases.