LWF-ETHIOPIA VISITOR’S BRIEF
(BALE REGIONAL COORDINATION OFFICE)
MAP OF ETHIOPIA AND LOCATION OF PROJECT AREA
Map of Bale Zone
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BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE PROJECT AREA
Bale Regional Coordination Office (RCO) is comprised of two projects namely Rayitu and Dawe Kachen Resilience Building Project and Gasera Sustainable Development and Women Empowerment Project. The coordination office of the Bale RCO is found in Ginnir town which is located between Gasera and Rayitu districts. The resilience building project has been going on for five phases since 2010 and the last of which is only phased out on 30 April 2016. The next phase of the resilience building project which is financed by EU is going to commence soon for three and half years although the exact starting date is not yet decided. The Gasera sustainable development and women empowerment project is a new three year project started in January 2016 with funding from ELCA and CoS.
Bale zone is located in the south eastern part of Ethiopia in the Oromia Region and Gasera woreda is one of the 19 woredas of Bale Zone which is located in the northwestern part of the zone. It has a total land area of 1,114 km2; and land use of Gasera district comprises of intensively cultivated and moderately cultivated lands; where the former consists of small holder farmers. The woreda has two types of rainfall regime; the first regime is characterized by long rainy season that extends from June to August. The second type of rainfall extends from March to April and reaches its maximum in spring and autumn. It is influenced by equatorial westerly and easterly winds that prevail over the area. The woreda is endowed with some big perennial rivers but not developed as such to benefit the largely agrarian population of the woreda.
Rayitu and Dawe Kachen woredas are located in the southeastern part of Bale zone. Rayitu woreda has one-climatic zone namely, lowland, while Dawe Kachen woreda is classified into middle land and lowland. Both woredas have two types of rainfall regime; the first regime extends from April to May. The second type of rainfall extends from September to October. However, both woredas are known as disaster prone areas and they are currently classified as priority one hot spot woredas.
The livelihood base of 80% of Dawe Kachen woreda population is pastoralism, where as 20% are categorized as agro- pastoral whereas the livelihood base for100% of the Rayitu Woreda population is pastoralism.
Gasera, Rayitu and Dawe Kachen woredas are located at 90, 180 and 150 kilometers distance from the Bale Mountains National Park respectively that is home for some wild animals such as Nyala, Ibex and Red Fox which are only found in Ethiopia. Sof Omar cave that is one of the historical places in the country is found at some 60 kilometer distance from Rayitu town.
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VISITOR'S BRIEF DETAILS:
Full Name of visitor: Lokiru M. Yohana, Program Officer for East and Horn of Africa and
Sophia Gebreyes, Resident Representative
Organization/Country: LWF/DWS HQ, Geneva and LWF Ethiopia
Duration of stay: From May 26 to 28, 2016
PROJECT DETAILS:
Project title:
1. Gasera Sustainable Livelihood and Women Empowerment Project
Project No: 03- 4237
Project location (Community, district, zone, regional State):
Six Kebeles, Gasera District, Bale Zone, Oromia National Regional State
Project period: January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2018
Funding partners: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Church of Sweden (CoS)
Distance from ADD: Gasera District is found at 488 km South East of the capital, Addis Ababa.
GPS coordinates: 700 01'04”N and 04023'31”E
Climate: Average Daily Temperature 150C – 250C and Rainfall 735mm - 912.5mm
Elevation: 1100m – 2500 m a.s.l
Total population (woreda): 96,000.people (43,200 male and 52,800 female) Page 3 of 8
LWF Ethiopia's reach (plan): 25,520 people in the six targeted kebeles (13,918 female and 11,602 male)
MAJOR ACTIVITIES PLANNED AND EXECUTED BY EXPECTED RESULT (BRIEFLY):
Result 1: Improved agricultural production and productivity by the targeted farmers with the adoption of irrigation agronomy and other agricultural technologies
Major activities
Promote small scale irrigation agriculture through pump-lift, provision of dewatering pumps, Training of farmers on irrigation agronomy, beekeeping and goat rearing and provide Vegetable seeds on revolving funds Promote organic/low external input farming through training, experience sharing etc Introduction and distribution of high-value fruits such as apple in the highland areas
Result 2: Women in the area are socially and economically empowered with increased access to productive resources, and active participation in the household and community affairs
Major activities
Establish women self help groups and provide training to women-focused self-help groups (SHGs) Introduction of improved stoves and solar technologies Promotion of women functional literacy program Support women vegetable and fruit producers through provision of seed, tools, and training Promote Poultry farming
Result 3: Increased community resilience to shocks through and institutionalizing community based disaster risk reduction strategies
Major activities
Establish Community based disaster risk reduction committees at kebele level Establish/Strengthen the district level DRR committee Assist development community based contingency planning Establish school environmental clubs Undertake physical and biological soil conservation measures
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Result 4: Enhanced capacity of the target communities and other key actors to promote sustainability of project results
Major activities
Establish community development groups (CDG) and transform them to formal community institutions Training of the community institution leaders on sustainability and management of project results Provide technical and material support for community action plan preparation and implementation and Organize training to local government counterpart line office staffs on sustainability and project cycle management
Summary of progress against indicators to date:
As the project is new and at preparatory stage, no major progress achieved against indicators, but the major achievement of project activities up to April 30, 2016 include the following:
Project agreement under process with the government is in process The project office established in Gasera town Annual work plan and procurement plan prepared Launching workshop has been conducted and the project was introduced to the target community representatives, zonal and district government sector offices Project steering committee established at woreda level One nursery site established for production of forest tree seedlings Baseline study questionnaire prepared and data collection is underway Communication and facilitation with the government office is going on for study of irrigation schemes, environmental impact assessment and socio-economic study
2. Rayitu and Dawe Kachen Resilience Building Project
Project No: 03- 4711
Project location (Community, district, zone, regional State):
12 kebeles in Rayitu district & 11 kebeles in Dawe Kachen district, Bale Zone, Oromia National Regional State
Project period: Last phase ended only on April 30, 2016 and the new phase expected to commence in two months time for three and half years
Funding partners: Last phase ECHO through DCA and next phase EU through DCA
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Distance from ADD: Rayitu is located at 600 km and Dawe Kachen at 560 km South East of the capital, Addis Ababa
GPS coordinates: Rayitu: 060 53’53'’ N and 0410 07’57'’ E
Dawe Kachen: 060 18’54'’ N and 0410 34’56'’E
Climate: Rayitu: Average Daily Temperature 26-400c and Rainfall 300-800 mm per annum
Dawe Kachen: Average Daily Temperature; 35-39oc. and rainfall; 500-700 mm per annum
Elevation: Average of Rayitu and Dawe Kachen: 1100 m – 2500 m a.s.l
Total Population: Rayitu Woreda: 43,927 (25,038 female & 18, 889 male)
Dawe Kachen Woreda: 47,509 (21,265 male, 26,240 female)
LWF Ethiopia's reach (Jan 2015 –April 2016 Actual):
Rayitu Woreda: 25,263 people (11,161 female & 14,102 male)
Dawe Kachen Woreda: 31,087 people (15,654 female & 15,433 male)
Staff: At the RCO in Ginnir town 8 (6 male & 2 female), Gasera 5 (all male), at the satellite offices in Rayitu and Dawe Kachen 8 (7 male & 1 female)
Security: At the moment safe and stable, however there have been violent incidents during the recent Oromia-wide protests around the Addis Ababa Master Plan. Vigilance and observation of SOPs highly recommended at all times during your stay in the region.
Accommodation: Wabe Shebelle Hotel in Goba Town (located at a distance of some 70 km from the project area, Gasera).
Tel. +251226610041/226610024
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Vehicle plate number: 35-4651
Assigned driver: Debebe Abebe (M)
MAJOR ACTIVITIES PLANNED AND EXECUTED BY EXPECTED RESULT (BRIEFLY):
Result 1: Access to and availability of safe water supply, sanitation facilities and hygiene practices of vulnerable communities in the targeted districts improved
Major activities
Promotion of Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTSH) approaches in model kebeles of each district (2) Establish and train water management committees and WASH operation, maintenance as well as hygiene promotion (4 kebeles)
Result 2: Adaptive capacities of vulnerable households and communities improved
Major activities
Construct new water pond both for human and livestock consumption (1) Rehabilitate/upgrade the existing water supply structures (pond) (1) Support target Woreda veterinary and community-based primary animal health care service (VET kit & Equipment) (2 clinic) Provision of logistics support for emergency livestock veterinary vaccination activity (campaign) (2 rounds) Support rangeland expansion/rehabilitation & management through strengthening community (600 ha) Organize training on agronomic practices of Amaranth for development agents, development facilitators and selected Households (50 HHs)
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Result 3: Improved capacity of targeted communities and the local institutions to monitor mitigate and respond to drought risks
Major activities
Provide capacity building training for community managed disaster risk reduction committee (CMDRRC) members on collecting and analyzing early warning information (147) Promoting fuel saving stove for selected pastoral households (80) Provide training on Linking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development for CMDRRCs and local partners (72) Support the establishment and strengthening process of new CMDRRCs (4) Support CMDRRCs to develop participatory disaster risk analysis (PDRA) through training provision (21 groups) Strengthen existing and new CMDRRCs in PDRA and community action plan development exercise (21 groups)
Summary of progress against Objective and Result indicators to date: Data collection was carried out with all consortium member organizations to identify the end line value against the base line for indicators, but the assessment result is not yet finalized
Office Address: Bale Area Coordination Office Primary Contact: Fekadu Genete Ginir town, Near Tourist Hotel
Name of Primary Contact: Fekadu Genete, Project Coordinator Telephone GoroNo.: District, Bale Zone of the022 Oromia-864- 9025Region (Direct) and 0911-12-37-82 (Cell phone) Email address: [email protected] or [email protected] Tel. 022-864-9025 (Direct) Secondary Contact: NameDjaleta of Primary Berhanu, Contact: Team FekaduLeader ofGenete Gasera SLWEP Office Address: Gasera town, opposite Ethiopian Electricity Branch Office Telephone No.: 0911-98-34-46Page 8 of 8 Email address: [email protected]