ANALYSIS OF USAID/OFDA WATER INTERVENTIONS AND RELATED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 002576 SIPDIS SIPDIS USAID/W DCHA/AA MHESS, GGOTTLIEB AFR/AA WWARREN DCHA/OFDA KLUU, ACONVERY, KCHANNELL AFR/EA KNELSON, BDUNFORD DCHA/FFP WHAMMINK, JDWORKEN, PMOHAN, MANDERSON, PBERTOLIN STATE DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E AND PRM/AFR USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS, RTILSWORTH, AND LPANASUK NAIROBI FOR OFDA/ECARO JMYER, GPLATT, RFFPO, USAID/EA ROME FOR OHA BRUSSELS FOR USEU PBROWN GENEVA FOR NKYLOH, RMA USUN FOR TMALY NSC FOR PMARCHAN, TSHORTLEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREF SENV EAGR ET SUBJECT: ANALYSIS OF USAID/OFDA WATER INTERVENTIONS AND RELATED IMPACT ON POPULATIONS ¶1. SUMMARY. The USAID/OFDA Shelter and Settlements (S&S) Advisor in conjunction with USAID/OFDA Ethiopia staff monitored field activities in selected areas of Ethiopia's Oromiya Region from July 25 to August 4, to assess strategic water interventions and implications on population and migration issues in the country. Based on field assessments and discussions with implementing partners and local officials, USAID/OFDA water and sanitation activities have resulted in improved water resource management and sustainable and self-supporting community-based water supply systems that both respond to emergency needs and reduce vulnerability to future drought events, particularly when linked to watershed management efforts supported by USAID/OFDA, the Government of Ethiopia (GoE),and others. Targeted interventions are not increasing population growth through migration, do not significantly alter the migration patterns of pastoralist or other groups, or generate adverse impacts on local surface or groundwater resources. Although many communities in arid regions will likely continue to require USAID/OFDA emergency assistance due to the precarious nature of conditions, serious consideration should also be given to increased funding support of expansion and upgrading of successful USAID/OFDA activities in less vulnerable areas as development problems are so chronic in these areas that even moderate drought conditions will generate significant, widespread needs. END SUMMARY. ¶2. USAID/OFDA staff monitored field activities in the Oromiya Region of southern and eastern Ethiopia from July 25 to August 4 to assess OFDA country strategies related to water interventions and possible impact on population growth in communities. USAID/OFDA Ethiopia staff visited nearly 30 project sites, traveled over 1,900 miles (3,140 kilometers) in eight days, and met with implementing partner representatives, local officials, and project beneficiaries. Field activities commenced with visits to selected areas in Borena Zone with the Italian NGO, Comitato Internationale Per Lo Sviluppo Dei Popoli (CISP) from July 26-29. A second field trip focused on selected villages in East and West Haraghe Zones with USAID/OFDA implementing partners CARE, IRC, and CRS, from July 31 to August 3. -------------- -------------- NON-DROUGHT WATER SUPPLY CONDITIONS IN BORENA ZONE BELOW THOSE FOUND IN THE IDP CAMPS OF DARFUR -------------- -- ¶3. The Borena Zone field activities focused on recent and potential CISP water and sanitation activities in selected pastoral, agricultural, and urban communities. The current non-crisis conditions in these areas are perhaps the best of the year, in that rainfall has been relatively plentiful this current rainy season, pasture is available for livestock, and water supply systems have been operational. However, even under the best of conditions, the situation is precarious and, at best, water supply and consumption rates per capita --even in the relatively developed zonal capital of Yabello--are far lower than similar rates in the IDP camps of Darfur. As such, prevailing water supply outputs in selected Borena Zone communities, viewed in a development context, are even well below minimally adequate levels for basic humanitarian work, as specified in the Sphere project guidelines. Smaller, more remote settlements, both agricultural and agro-pastoral, are in an even more precarious state. Therefore, chronic development conditions are so marginal that even moderate drought conditions will generate significant, widespread needs. ¶4. Water and sanitation interventions similar to those implemented, and proposed, by CISP complement GoE development programs, can provide much-needed improvements in water and sanitation conditions, and can build household and village level resilience to withstand future drought conditions, while providing needed water to nearby ADDIS ABAB 00002576 002 OF 003 pastoralists. These interventions, however, should not be considered as substitutes for GoE water supply development projects. Field assessment also suggests that water and sanitation interventions have not altered migration or settlement patterns, and are not likely to do so in the foreseeable future. ¶5. Based on field assessment and discussions, roof catchments, (plastic lined) ponds, and borehole activities should be expanded, where possible, to support additional human and livestock populations. These activities should include expansion of roof catchments to housing, in addition to the current focus on public facilities (e.g. schools and health posts),perhaps in a manner where harvested rainwater is shared among groups of families. In addition, utilizing the three capped boreholes in the zonal capital, Yabello, and managing the nearby upland watershed to facilitate groundwater recharge and mitigate against flash flood impacts on the boreholes, will enable Yabello to increase its role as a Zonal administrative and commercial center, and --equally importantly--a relatively drought-resistant hub for humanitarian interventions in the event of a drought or other emergency, as further development of the Yabello boreholes will support expected population growth for several years. -------------- -------------- LINKAGE OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND WATER SUPPLY EXPANSION IN HARAGHE GENERATE SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD DROUGHT VULNERABILITY REDUCTION -------------- -------------- ¶6. USAID/OFDA water and sanitation implementing partners CARE, IRC, and CRS work in selected communities in the East and West Hararghe Zones of the Oromiya Region, where elevation, microclimatic conditions, and rainfall levels vary widely, often within a few kilometers. Such contextual diversity requires diverse responses, and implementing partners have performed admirably in this regard, often incorporating watershed management measures into programs, or collaborating with similar GOE watershed management efforts. [NOTE: USAID is providing significant funding for the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) in these zones; CARE and CRS are implementing partners. END NOTE.] ¶7. Poor long-term management of watersheds and water resources, due in part to intense population pressure and widespread poverty, has resulted in significant alteration of major portions of East and West Hararghe zones. Further, GoE efforts to remedy environmental degradation, while well-intentioned, have sometimes resulted in unintended, adverse impacts, such as inappropriate selection of tree species as part of reforestation efforts, resulting in introduction of non-native species ill-suited to area conditions (e.g., tree species that require high levels of water compared to native species). In this regard, the recent and rapid transformation of Lake Alamaya, near the city of Harar, from lake to dry lakebed, is a cautionary tale of watershed mismanagement, over pumping of surface and groundwater resources, and uncontrolled discharge of domestic and agricultural waste, thereby accelerating the demise of an important water source. ¶8. Past and current CRS activities in Kersa and Meta woredas of East Hararghe, CARE activities in Grawa Woreda of East Hararghe, and IRC activities in Chiro and Mieso woredas of West Hararghe have all benefited from recent area closures of upland watershed areas, and related GoE resettlement of populations. These actions have contributed to increased water recharge rates that have permitted support and expansion of water supply systems to ever greater numbers of people, thereby reducing drought vulnerability in many zonal settlements. ADDIS ABAB 00002576 003 OF 003 ¶9. Two examples from the zones provide additional detail of the successful linkage of watershed management, water supply expansion, and drought vulnerability reduction. CRS found in Meta Woreda that GoE watershed management of upland areas, which included area closure and resettlement, increased flow rates from nearby springs by six-fold within two years of implementation, and is expected to increase in the future as watershed conditions improve. This dramatic increase in water availability is now sufficient to support a population of 12,960 people (as well as associated agro-pastoral and agricultural activities) at the consumption rate of eight (8) liters per capita per day. The water supply system implemented by CRS is only able to serve 3,750 people, however, suggesting significant potential to increase service and reduce vulnerability, as well as improve public health conditions. ¶10. In a similar vein, IRC borehole development in Arbarekete, West Hararghe Zone, can now support up to 112,320 people (as well as well as associated agro-pastoral, and agricultural activities) at the consumption rate of ten liters per capita per day, but the current water supply system developed by IRC is only able to serve 4,500 people. USAID/OFDA support of borehole development in Arbarekete has not only reduced drought vulnerability of the project beneficiary population, but raises the possibility of significant increases in water supply to additional vulnerable populations while accommodating projected population growth of Arbarakete, as well as the heretofore unconsidered option of water transmission to relatively arid regions nearby, which are far more prone to drought. However, developing and transmitting available water resources at the level suggested would, of course, require considerable investment by water development agencies, rather than humanitarian entities such as USAID/OFDA. For example, the current GoE effort to pipe water from Dire Dawa to Harar, a distance of 55 kilometers, will cost at least USD 33.3 million, with costs likely to rise, as is the case with most large infrastructure development projects. ¶11. Based on field assessment and discussion, it does not appear that USAID/OFDA water and sanitation activities contribute to increased population growth in east and west Haraghe that could be attributed to in-migration. Further, USAID/OFDA activities do not significantly alter the migration patterns of pastoralist or other groups, or generate adverse impacts on local surface or groundwater resources. Borehole development, for example, is not attracting in-migrants, nor has reduction in flow rates been reported to date, suggesting that current consumption rates by drought vulnerable populations are not adversely affecting groundwater resources. However, any significant expansion and upgrading of borehole or other water supplies will have to be examined carefully prior to investment by development agencies. YAMAMOTO