Appeal for: Humanitarian Emergency Support for the drought affected Somaliland population.
To: The International Donor Community
To: The Relevant UN/NGOs Agencies
To: The International Charitable Organizations
The severedrought which is presently affecting the major part of the Somaliland rural population has been gathering momentum for the last two years. The failed gu, dayr and karan rains of last two years unleashed devastating drought effect on the communities from Somaliland western regions of Togdheer, southern Maroodijeh, Haud, and also from Eastern Sanaag. The populations of these regions, experienced decimation of their livestock assets, drastic failures of their crops and a dwindling supply capacity of their water sources. The official estimate of the drought affected population is over a million people that need immediate humanitarian support of food, water and medical attention for both the people and their livestock.
This populationHowever, in the other parts of Somaliland, which received relatively better rainfall during that period, the migration of people and livestock from less fortunate areas has created severe pressure on both water and pasture resources and therefore, created a generalized vulnerability situation of food and water shortage among all Somaliland rural populations. Recently the drought alarm is raised also in Togdheer, Sool and Sanaag regions for severe shortage of water and in some areas also pasture. That will increase drastically the population affected by the drought.
The rural populations in western regions and in eastern Sanaag have already lost the major part of their livestock assets and now more and more people from the eastern, regions of Togdheer, Sool and Sanaag are joining their ranks as the drought progresses.
Loss of livelihoods
Nomadic pastoralists in parts of Somaliland who depend on livestock for their living have suffered huge losses to their herds in recent months. Surveys carried out by Haldoor organization among people displaced by drought in Togdheer, Sool and Sanag regions of Somaliland found that 59% of households reported they had lost all their livestock, forcing them to abandon their livelihoods and move to towns. A large number of animals have simply died due to lack of pasture and water while others have been sold in desperation as pastoralists tried to raise enough money to support their families as food and water prices skyrocket.
Time to act
There is an urgent need to support communities to survive the devastating effects of recurrent drought in Somaliland. Seasonal Gu rains did arrive in most areas of the country earlier in April, although levels were well below average in some districts. Life therefore remains extremely precarious for many communities.
Basic needs must be met immediately. The food security situation is deteriorating and malnutrition is rising in areas of Southern of Maroodijeh, Togdheer and Sool. Food, water and shelter are essential for those communities who have been left withnothing.
Breaking the cycle of drought is incredibly difficult. Short term humanitarian support is essential to save lives now. However, over time pastoral communities in Somaliland need prolonged investment in enabling sustained access to safe water, better pasture management, improved livestock supply chains and promoting human and animal health. Such interventions could make the difference between futures in which pastoral communities in Somaliland lurch from disaster to disaster to one in which the most vulnerable take steps towards stable and secure livelihoods.
This Emergency appeal is seeking to support prompt delivering of assistance to the drought-affected area of Eastern regions, where people are in need of food, water, health and care, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition and resettlement of displaced people.
The absence of expected Dayr rains in the area exacerbated drought conditions leading to depletions of water and pasture in the area. The scarce of water and pasture have led threat to human lives and deaths of livestock.
In accordance of the preliminary information obtained, many people are in an acute of food insecurity and it is expected that risks of the droughts is to increase during the period before GU rains February and March of the next year.
There was no much international support during February/March droughts of this year, and so far the current responses are locally driven initiatives based on domestic fund-raising schemes mobilized and participated by the government, business people, political parties and the public at large, while Diaspora initiative is under process.
Haldoor Community development org, distributed food (Rice, sugar, flour and oil) 370 house hold in southern Maroodijeh were so many population immigrated, when they lost the major part of their livestock assets and now more people from the eastern regions of Togdheer, Sool, Sanaag and Haud ( Daroor District, Somali-Ethiopia Autonomy. The extent of the emergency is beyond the local capacity and resources.
International assistance is highly needed to be responsive at this stage to save lives both human and livestock. We call on international community to take immediate and responsive action for their humanitarian assistance on the drought-affected people in Somaliland.
Deeq Osman Dahir
Country Director of Haldoor Community Development org.