Preparing for La Niña and enhancing the shock-resisting capacity of communities in the Somali Region of Ethiopia

Background

The project aims to put in place preventive strategies to tackle the adverse effects of La Niña drought and support a total of 62’710 individuals. The VSF-Suisse Anticipatory Action project is implemented in four districts of the Somali Region, Ayun, Wangey, Aware and Daror.

Forecast predicts below-average rainfall threatening the livelihoods of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities. In addition, the aftermath of the previous drought has resulted in a significant decline in livestock and crop production amplifying the need for immediate intervention. This critical situation not only elevates the risk of malnutrition and disease outbreaks among vulnerable populations but also imperils children’s education as families may turn to child labour to cope with economic pressures.

Goal

The goal is to empower vulnerable communities of Ayun, Wangey, Aware and Daror woredas of the Somali regional state to tackle the negative effects of drought.

Specific objectives are as follows:

1. Enhancing livestock health.
2. Providing livestock feed availability.
3. Promoting agricultural activities and fodder production.

Approach

To tackle the challenges posed by drought, VSF-Suisse has outlined a series of livestock-related and agricultural interventions. These strategies encompass mapping livestock diseases based on risks, delivering refresher training for animal health personnel and implementing a voucher-based livestock treatment program. The project also encompasses vaccination against prioritized disease and provision of supplementary livestock feed to assist families during the drought. Moreover, VSF-Suisse distributes farming tools for irrigation-based agriculture and promote hydroponic fodder production as an alternative source of income for women in the community.

Which of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals does this project work towards?

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