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NAGAAD ON BBC |
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Hardest hit by Drought in Burao and other parts of Somaliland |
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Thursday, 20 August 2009 |
 When people try ends to meet, drought is sweeping away the nation. Somaliland is now in the grip of one of the worst droughts to hit the Horn of Africa for decades. A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region faces a deficiency in its water supply.Generally, droughts occur when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. Some parts of Burao have been hit severely. The combination of these two factors threatens to bring a human tragedy on a vast scale. Most part of Burao villages, the area worst affected by a chronic lack of rainfall, where the mainly pastoralist community has watch its animals die in thousands. Ali Mohamed head of Beereto village says ‘my family has moved to the next villages to look for pastures, food and survival for my kids. I watch my livestock dying and loosing my source of income’. Adding ‘haven’t come across this ever’.
Beereto village as the name sound is drive from Somali word meaning ‘Farms’ but that longer existed. Where once was know well for crop production today Remains of hard soil; make it impossible for any crop to grow. Children have emaciated in health wise and only the lucky one could get in hospital. Children have malnutrition disease due to poor meal plan. Burao people need help from the relief food, hospitals for medicine and water. Most of the people in Somaliland depend on livestock as means of living. Communities watch their animals dying and loss of their only income. Poverty has strikes the people. Driving through the villages of Burao such as, Beereto, Obsiye, Gatiitalay and several others village, there is hardly any life. In Obsiye, we met people especially children who have not ate for weeks.Drought did not spare the urban part of Burao too. Most appreciated to World Food Program for their assistance The WFP gives the food to people; it stands a better chance of getting into the mouths of the children and elderly who need it most. We met Asha Ali in the IDP’s of Mahamed Ali Burao town during our monitoring visit where Nagaad Umbrella helps in Non-formal Education. Asha mother of five kids says ‘I was waiting for four hours in this sunning and dust to get one tin of oil and have suck of wheat. I will divide it to my family and parents’ People have move from their home to look for green and better pastures. This affect the child’s learning. The few schools around are close due to lack of students. In the villages of Burao, students cannot concentrate with empty stomach. While parents, struggle to get food for their family. Some of other problem facing them is shortage of food and water. Some of local organizations are trying to bring tanks, build ‘berkedo’ for some villages. Qoyta village is 15km from Burao town. When you reach there, people first ask you for water! In the village where 450 families lives have no wells, dams or berkhed. They are buying water from Burao town. Really, water is life and calling upon any people who can help Qoyta village for any construction of water reserves.Being hit by drought, additional Burao faces scarcity of water. Only see ‘Boiyadha’ fetching water for people. Therefore, for those who get access to survive. Water has been also another problem Burao and some other part of Somaliland is fighting. This really helps the people with the domestic chores. Nagaad Umbrella Organization also helps the villages of Burao with learning where they introduce literacy program for 25 villages. This is really helping the Burao people and appreciated by many. Despite this entire problem, Burao Village people attend Nagaad literacy class. This helps them in building their lives through the education.Droughts do have substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture thus causing significant damages and harm local economy. In Togdheer region people are mostly pastoralist thus have to come up with other ways of survival. You can count the number of small-scale farming around Togdheer region. Depending on livestock as soul survival, people are strike with poverty in this period of drought. Persistent of droughts usually lead to famine. i.e. widespread shortage of food thus leading to starvation, mulnutration and increased mortality. Here in Somaliland the Drought has affected the persons who are mostly pastoralists since the long absence or rains means their’s no enough water and grass for their animals. Thus, many families have suffered because of this drought, which is the worst since the one in the 1990's.
Many watersheds experience depleted amounts of available water. Lack of water in river systems and reservoirs can influence hydroelectric power companies, farmers, wildlife, and communities. Meteorological Drought
A lack of precipitation is the most common definition of drought and is usually the type of drought referred to in news reports and the media. Most locations around the world have their own meteorological definition of drought based on the climate normal in the area. A normally rainy area that gets less rain than usual can be considered in a drought. Agricultural Drought
When soil moisture becomes a problem, the agricultural industry is in trouble with drought. Shortages in precipitation, changes in evapo-transpiration, and reduced ground water levels can create stress and problems for crops.Ways of escaping droughtDroughts being one of Mother Nature effect still we are having several ways of escaping its effect;AfforestationThis is the process of planting tree/forest. Trees helps in attracting rain, shelter, prevent soil erosion, source of food and various essential raw materials. Many people do the deforestation thus leaving the land bare. This increase doughtiness. I will encourage people ‘‘cut one tree plant another’’. In several areas, people cut down tree for getting charcoal and livestock feeds. This has major effect on the environment. Thus we should always replace after cutting. Drought resistant plantPeople should be planting crops that are drought resistant. Some crops does well doing drought thus this gives people food and pasture for their animals. In Togdheer region, we have two to three places for small- Scale farming. Therefore, we should plant crops, which are resistant of drought thus get food during the dry season.Construction of wells and DamsMost of the areas affect by droughts are dry and no water for survival. If water reservoirs constructed thus it will be used for irrigation. This leaves people with food and pasture for livestock. We call upon good Samaritans to help this villages of Togdheer with water reserve method such as tanks, berkedo to preserve water during famine period.Food storage People should cultivate and plant several crops on rainy season and store them for drought season. Farming activity helps therefore; people should not rely on livestock only.Rigorous community education to elite them and explain to them several ways of cushioning themselves against such an adverse climatic downturns. Report by
Muna Abdullahi Omar
Nagaad's ISF Project Manager |
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