NO 11 : ISSUED NOVEMBER 2002 OCTOBER REPORT FSAU acknowledges the contribution of key partners FEWS NET, CARE, WFP, SC-UK, UNCU, UNDP FSAU REPORTS AND ACTIVITIES HIGHLIGHTS Gedo Region : The nutritional improvements seen in a recent survey conducted in Belet Hawa district are closely attributed to the level of relief food interventions. ** The FSAU FOCUS “2002 Gu Season However, the difficulty of recording changing population figures, mortality rates and and Food Security Implications” will be population movements continues to present obstacles in estimating future needs and disseminated via e-mail and distributed interventions. to FSAU users in mid-November. Copies Food Security in Sool Plateau Improves : There has been erratic and patchy will also be available at FSAU offices rainfall on the Sool Plateau, however, FSAU Field Monitors’ report that berkads are from [email protected] almost full so poorer pastoralist households are not having to spend large amounts of their income on the purchase of water. There has also been some improvement in **The field work for the FSAU Belet pasture. However there are still pockets (Sool of Eastern Sanag and Sool of Taleh Hawa Nutrition Survey with partners was district) which didn’t receive rain and these need to be monitored closely in the coming carried out between 18-24 October months. 2002. Preliminary information and Heavy Rains Fall in Belet Weyne (Hiran Region): Heavy rain fell throughout analysis is available in the October Issue Belet Weyne district between 21—27 October. This has enabled farmers to plant their of Nutrition Update. crops. Pasture has recovered. Livestock have returned to traditional grazing areas and ** Eleven FSAU Field Monitors and two many of the agro pastoral families who had previously been separated have been representatives from SC-UK Ethiopia and reunited. There are reports of poor rainfall in Gode and Mustahil in Ethiopia. This has SC-UK Belet Weyne participated in a resulted in some animal herders moving their livestock into Belet Weyne district. “Training to Train” Nairobi workshop Reports from the region have recently suggested that two livelihood groups were during October which has improved becoming increasingly vulnerable—agro pastoralists who had been forced to separate FSAU’s Household Economy Analysis from their families and poor riverine farmers who had no access to irrigation pumps. training capacity within Somalia. The recent good rain, reuniting of families and increase in milk production/availability **FSAU’s main role in Somalia is has improved the situation of the two groups, although they are still likely to experience vulnerability analysis. To assist partners hardship. make better use of FSAU information to Implications of Restrictions imposed by Ethiopia on Cross Border Trade enhance their own vulnerability analysis, with Somalia : In early October, Ethiopian authorities closed its border with Somalia, FSAU is planning to hold household reportedly to reduce smuggling of untaxed foods and improve revenue collection. The economy analysis (HEA) training in Ethiopian government has imposed heavy taxes on goods coming in and going out of the country. Traders and business people involved in the cross border trade are December 02/January 03 in Somalia. required to have an import/export license and register their trade, often a tedious Numbers are limited but if your process. Accordingly, Ethiopia has established several checkpoints along the border organization is interested—please and prevented the movement of goods and services entering and leaving Ethiopia contact : [email protected] without formal documentation and taxation. Both food and non-food commodities have been affected. For implications for Somalia’s food security—see page 2. Highlights from the FSAU ‘Nutrition Update’ FOOD AID DISTRIBUTION During October, FSAU led an interagency In Hiran, assessments were undertaken in nutrition survey in Belet Hawa District of two districts affected by the recent crop In Gedo region, during October, CARE Gedo Region. Preliminary results indicate failures. The results are likely to be useful in distributed a total of 780 MT in Dolo malnutrition rates that are extremely high by determining the vulnerability of these district. This consisted of 630 MT of any standards but which nevertheless repre- populations. sorghum, 126 MT of lentils and 23 MT of sent a significant reduction in comparison to Preliminary results of the recent nutrition the previous survey ten months ago. The surveys in Rabdure District and Bari Region vegetable oil. Currently, food distributions extent to which this improvement is related are now available. are on-going in Belet Hawa district and to the substantial current humanitarian A summary of the FSAU Nutrition Project distributions in El-Waq will follow. interventions is currently being analysed. Food utilisation study is presented in the Tensions in Luuq district continue and Initial analysis also suggests extremely high latest Nutrition Update. This presents some this is making food distributions difficult. mortality rates in the district. interesting information on food and eating For further information on CARE’s food In response to concerns about populations habits that affect nutrition in Somalia and aid operations, please contact : in riverine villages of Middle Juba, a nutrition requests for the full report will be welcomed. [email protected]. assessment was undertaken which For copies of nutrition survey reports and FSAU are unable to provide information confirmed the existence of a serious further information related to nutrition, see on food distribution carried out by WFP problem. The assessment report also the FSAU monthly publication ‘Nutrition Up- for the month of October. describes the short and longer term date ’ or contact [email protected]. interventions now in place. ke The FSAU is funded by the EC and implemented by FAO. The FSAU Nutrition component is funded by USAID. Further information is available through PO Box 1230, Narobi, Tel: (254-2) 3741299, 3745734, While all efforts have been made to utilize the most accurate data and information 3748297, Fax: 3740598, E-mail: [email protected], or look at www.unsomalia.org under available, neither FSAU, FEWS Net or any of their supporters or partners endorse the ‘FSAU’ webpage. any figure or political boundary as definitive. FSAU Monthly Food Security Report November 2002 ETHIOPIA IMPOSES RESTRICTIONS ON CROSS BORDER TRADE WITH SOMALIA Context inside Ethiopia of a wide range of food and non-food items, including Somalia shares a very long border with Ethiopia. Over the years, staple foods. Consequently, the effect of the restriction is felt inside especially since the regimes in Ethiopia and Somalia changed in the Ethiopia more than in north west Somalia in the short run. Within early 1990s, there has been an active flow of people, animals and north west Somalia, however, availability and accessibility of certain goods between the two countries, much of it unregistered and unoffi- commodities has fallen significantly. For instance, milk availability cial. Moreover, the establishment of the Somali refugee camps just decreased in urban areas of Hargeisa, Gabiley and Borama due to inside Ethiopia’s Zone V (Somali Region), like Harta Sheik, Daroor, export restrictions on the Ethiopian side. Milk prices therefore Dulad, Bali Yarey, Dharwanaaje, and Awbarre, created more demand increased about 35% between September and October. Coarse for products from north west Somalia and enhanced cross-border grain prices of sorghum, maize and wheat also increased about 30% trade between the two countries. Somali traders import food and during the similar period. In addition, prices of pulses increased non-food commodities from the Persian Gulf States and have built about 14%. Ironically, most of the cowpeas, mung beans, sorghum warehouses at border crossing points, such as Awbarre, Togwajaale, and some maize comes from Southern Somalia across Ethiopia. Buhodle. Ethiopian traders, on the other hand, supply mainly food Somali traders are now forced to use the longer route via Galkayo to items, including coarse grains (maize, wheat, sorghum), potatoes, Burao to Hargeisa. Prices of all these staple commodities are assorted vegetables, and milk as well as khat and charcoal. This expected to increase further as higher transportation costs are cross border trade created livelihood sources through trade and transferred to consumers. Prices of different commodities imported employment for the population of the two countries, especially those from the Persian Gulf states, such as rice, sugar, spaghetti, edible along the border. Pastoralist, agropastoralist and urbanites are the oil and non-food items, however, remain same throughout Somali- main food economy groups that have benefited most from this trade, land. Trade of khat, a growing economic sector, was not affected by directly and indirectly. Food availability and accessibility has been the restriction of trade flows. good for many years, thanks to this Somalia/Ethiopia border trade. What is happening Conclusion In early October, Ethiopian authorities closed its border with The current restriction of trade flow between the two countries will Somalia, reportedly to reduce smuggling of untaxed foods and undermine employment and income-earning options along the improve revenue collection. The Ethiopian government has imposed border. In turn, this will weaken the purchasing power of large heavy taxes