Nimroz Rapid Drought Assessment Zaranj, Kang and Chakhansoor Districts Conducted August 21st-22nd 2013 Figure 1 Dead livestock in Kang district Figure 2 Nimroz district map Relief International in Nimroz Relief International (RI) is a humanitarian, non‐profit, non‐sectarian agency that provides emergency relief, rehabilitation, and development interventions throughout the world. Since 2001, RI has supported a wide array of relief and development interventions throughout Afghanistan. RI programs focus on community participation, ensuring sustainability and helping communities establish a sense of ownership over all stages of the project cycle. Relief International has been working in Nimroz province since 2007, when RI took over implementation of the National Solidarity Program, as well as staff and offices, from Ockenden International. Through more than five years of work in partnership with Nimroz communities, RI has formed deep connections with communities, government, and other stakeholders such as UN agencies. RI has offices and is currently working in all districts of Nimroz, except for the newly added Delaram district (formerly belonging to Farah Province). RI has recently completed an ECHO WASH and shelter program and a DFID funded local governance program , and is currently implementing the National Solidarity Program and a food security and livelihoods program in the province. Nimroz General Information related to Drought Nimroz province is the most South Westerly Province of Afghanistan bordering Iran and Pakistan. The provincial capital is Zaranj, located in the west on the Iranian border. The population is estimated at 350,000 although, as for the rest of Afghanistan, no exact demographic data exists.1 There has been a flow of returnees from Iran over the last years, and the provincial capital has also grown due to internal migration. Nimroz is a province facing numerous challenges due to physical and social factors, with a difficult climate, harsh desert conditions and limited availability of water. Nimroz is both susceptible to prolonged droughts and to yearly spring floods. In addition Nimroz regularly has sand storms during the dry season. When there is a drought, these sand storms become stronger as vegetation is reduced and as soil is dried out. These sand storms damage water sources, getting into the wells and damaging the inside parts of wells, and also fill canals and other irrigation infrastructure. (Please see annex 1 for further information). However, while Nimroz always suffers from water scarcity particularly during the dry season July – October the drought declared this year can be considered exceptional. There has not been one of the same level for over a decade in the province. Nimroz has limited water sources. The main sources of water are the Helmand River flowing from the south through Charburjack and Zaranj provinces where it is running along the border with Iran, and from the North West the Khash Rod River ending in Kang district. The rivers and canals are dry for much of the year, and flow of the most important water source, the Helmand River is influenced by sometimes political decisions on opening the Kajaki dam in Helmand and also on influence from neighbouring Iran. There are limited options for well digging, shallow wells are the most common but often dry up or become brackish. There are limited deep well digging options in the province as well. The context and needs also vary greatly between the different districts within Nimroz itself, regarding water availability, sources and quality. 1 This is an estimate RI arrived at through discussions with government departments and other actors in the province. Some actors estimate the population to be larger than that, while the official figures are much lower. Nimroz is isolated in relation to central government and has limited ability to leverage support, as can be seen in the dilapidated infrastructure. The relatively sparse population, geographical distance, and compared to other southern provinces, relatively better security situation, have contributed towards a lack of interest in the province from both Kabul and the donor community, there has been no response to the drought within the province, and there are a very limited number of actors present. Droughts are affecting communities in Nimroz on a broad level. For example migration of families due to lack of water can lead to multiple vulnerabilities for communities, including deterioration of security, and difficulty for the remaining population to maintain water sources such as wells, and irrigation infrastructures such as canals with the reduced manpower and resources. In addition drought has a strong impact on women and children. With reduced livelihood opportunities and fewer people to work children are often taken out of school in order to work and help with household chores, while Nimroz already has a high rate of child labor with about 28%2. In addition malnutrition tends to worsen through droughts, and already about 34% of the population in Nimroz is calorie deficient3. Figure 3 Nimroz map with water sources Figure 4 Well in a dried river bed in Kang 2 Afghanistan provincial briefs, June 2011 WB and GOA. 3 Ibid. Drought Assessment Date: 21st and 22nd August 2013 Conducted by: RI field team under Zabihullah Honar the Provincial Program Coordinator Objective: Assess the impact of the drought in selected villages and use as basis to propose required response activities Province, Districts: Nimroz Province (Zaranj, Chakhansoor and Kang districts) Number of villages: 54 villages surveyed (32 Zaranj, 11 Chakhansoor and 11 Kang) Methodology: A sampling methodology was used based on a list of affected villages provided to RI by Rural Rehabilitation Department (RRD) of Nimroz, based on an RI request. This list was cross checked with feedback from RI staff and the most vulnerable villages selected as a sample. The survey was adapted from ERF format to assess villages at the community level, and was responded to by the Community Development Councils (CDCs) of each village. The figures for health, for reasons of greater accuracy, are from local clinics in each district. Population: In surveyed villages 5,813 HH are affected with an estimated total population of nearly 30,000. Summary of Findings All three surveyed districts of Nimroz have been severely impacted by the drought, though it has affected each one in different ways according to their context and coping strategies, which needs to be considered when putting together an appropriate response. Water Availability The figures below show that water availability, severely exacerbated by the drought, is not enough to meet the needs of the population, severely impacting livelihoods and health (as discussed later) Has water availability in Nimroz Province decreased due to the drought? 100% 50% 0% Yes No Is there enough water available for drinking? Kang Chakansoor Yes Zaranj No 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Is there enough water available for drinking AND washing? Kang Chakansoor Yes Zaranj No 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Water Sources and cost Each of the districts relies on different sources for their water, which each bring their own set of problems. Zaranj has always been nearly fully reliant on water tankering (except for some areas of Zaranj city, where piped water is available coming from Iran) and since the drought began relies solely on this as no other sources are functioning/available. Due to increased pressure and water shortages the price of water in Zaranj has doubled since the drought to almost 20 AFN per 20 litre jerry can, and all are paying for water. In Chakansoor there is no tankering at all at village level, so communities are forced to look further afield when their other sources (wells/streams) fail. The price of water has not increased but the number of those paying for water has increased by 300% since the drought began. In Kang there is very limited tankering, especially outside of the surroundings of the district centre so when water sources fail communities are forced to look further afield to try and find water, or to abandon their homes altogether and move in search of water. The number paying has decreased, but for those who currently have to pay for water the price has increased by 167% since the drought began. Accesible village water Sources for communities (before drought) 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% Zaranj 20% 10% Chakansoor 0% Kang % of sources - wells/ rivers/ ponds/ springs currently functioning (excluding tankering) 100% 80% % of wells/ rivers/ ponds/ 60% springs currently 40% functioning 20% (excluding tankering) 0% Zaranj Chakansoor Kang Cost of water Zaranj Cost per Chakansoor 20 litre currently? Kang (Afhs) Total Average 0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 Changes in numbers paying for water Change in price (%) Change in number Total paying for… Average Kang Paying for water now Chakansoor (%) Paying for Zaranj water in the past (%) -25% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 225% 250% 275% 300% Do people have to travel further to collect water since the drought?* Zaranj Chakansoor No Yes Kang 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% * In Zaranj, due to the reliance on water tankering, the increased distances are not so marked. However in Chakansoor average distance required to get water now stands at 5.8km. In Kang the problem is more severe and average distance is now around 15km. Figure 5 Water transport in Chakhansoor Figure 6 Water fetching in Kang Impact on Health As can be seen from the data collected from BRAC administered District Health clinics, there has been a marked increase in cases of diarrhea since the period when the impacts of the drought were just starting to be felt. With watery diarrhea figures more than doubling in Kang and Chakansoor as communities are forced to try and identify alternative water sources due to the drought.