Glimpse of BorenaBuilding Resilient Pastoralist

Communities

2009-2011

Glimpse of Borana

Copyright © CAFOD Trócaire SCIAF Ethiopia

2011

Tel. +251-(0)11-278-8843/44Fax. +251-(0)11-278-8846Addis AbabaEthiopia

kibneshc@cst-together.org www.cafod.org.uk www.sciaf.org.uk www.trocaire.org

Photographs by Kibnesh Chala, Martina O’Donoghue , Gerrit Holtland, Berhanu Wolde and Implementing Partners

Layout design by Kibnesh Chala

Printed by United Printers

Cover Photographs: People and Landscape of BorenaInside Cover: Gada leaders and youth in Borena

Glimpse of Borena

Building Resilient Pastoralist Communities 2009-2011

European Union

This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Trócaire CAFOD SCIAF and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union

Forward

Building Resilient Pastoralist Communities (BRPC) is a two years project, which aims to increase productive and income generating capacity of pastoralists and reduce their vulnerability to volatile food prices in Borena zone of Oromia regional state in Ethiopia.

The project focus on grazing land management, water development and improving as well as diversifying pastoralists means of living. It has benefited 70,000 pastoralists and around 200,000 livestock population.

BRPC is financed by European Union, Trócaire and Cordaid. A consortium of partners including ACORD, Action For Development (AFD), SoS-Sahel, Gayo Pastoral Development Initiative (GPDI), CIFA and ILRI implemented the project in eight lowland districts of Borena.

Trócaire, the official relief and development agencies of the Catholic Church in Ireland is the Lead Agency. In Ethiopia, Trócaire works collaboratively with CAFOD and SCIAF, sister agencies from England and Wales and Scotland respectively.

This book gives a snapshot of BRPC project achievements and pastoralists in Borena.

Borenas live on livestock keeping

Thorny bushes take over grass lands and hamper movements of cattle in rangelands

Bush encroachment resulted in decline in rangeland productivity

Rangeland works resulted in increase in the quality and quantity of pasture for 73,452 livestock

Communities participated in clearing more than 6000 ha land. In addition, 58 ha degraded land is reclaimed with different soil and water conservation works

Over 9000 pastoralists family use the rangelands. Thousands of animals were able to sustain severe drought in 2011 because of the grazing lands protected by the communities

“If it were not for this land, our cattle would not be alive today.” Nura Arero

“ We depend on our livestock and they need grass. We faced lots of difficulty when we didn’t have access to the grass.

“Before clearing, it was very dense and warm. The cattle could not stay long grazing inside the bushes. They used to get lost in the bushes and the wild animals used to attack them,” Kanchora

Kanchore family: Kanchore (L), Kotola, Kulle

Borenas use water from ponds for drinking, cooking, cleaning etc. The project constructed three new ponds and rehabilitated 10 existing ones.

Ponds are major source of water in Borena particularly in the months after the rainy seasons

Calves survive droughts because of nearby ponds as they cannot travel long to get water

If it were not for this pond in Sarite, Salo Ababora, 15, would have to travel for four hours to get to the nearest water point

Ellas also known as singing wells supply water through out the year. Most Ellas become out of function during rainy season as rains wash off the mud trough and wooden ladder.

Rehabilitating Ellas with concrete and cement not only make Ellas function through out the year, but also fetching water safer and less laborious

Six Ellas are rehabilitated giving sustainable water supply to 52,133 families. Over 24,000 are female headed households

126,181 livestock population drink form Ellasrehabilitated by the project

Illadu spring fed gravitational water scheme pulls the spring water from the mountain through 5km long pipe. The structure includes reservoir, storage pond, water point for human and troughs for livestock and small ruminant.

“We don’t have to climb the mountain, Illadu is right down here. It used to take me three hours to go there and bring water. If I leave home at seven and I will not get back before ten. Now I get water in less than an hour” Chiri Guyo

Water harvesting from rock catchment is one among 34 water works of the project. The Rock Catchment in Kesso collects 22,000 m3 water in one rainy season. It serves 1,750 families and 19,000 livestock.

BRPC project constructed four slow sand filter construction. Sand filters such as the one Dembala Dima Village offers potable water to the communities. 52,133 human and 126,181 Livestock population benefit from the various water development works of BRPC project.

Livestock marketing cooperatives help pastoralist communities earn more from their livestock. 15 cooperatives received financial and technical support from the project.

Fattening is a new venture for pastoralists in Borena. Five fattening cooperatives are established with the support of the project.

“We have never seen cattle being fattened at the time of drought before; this is incredible! We learnt this from GPDI. So many are now following our footsteps. As long as we have money to buy feed, our cattle won’t die any more.” Dollo Gobo

The project supported nine milk marketing cooperatives. The overall livestock cooperative members account for 1,035 and 519 of them are female.

Fuldwoa soap cooperatives is among the nine non Timber forest product cooperatives that are set to help the community benefit from their natural resources and diversify their source of income.

Communities has also benefited from cash for work schemes.

The project ensured community participation, in natural resources mapping , planning and other exercises which enhanced local ownership

BRPC is implemented by eight partner organizations and the consortium approach enabled the partners to share their expertise in various sectors

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AC

TION FOR DEVELOPM

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European Union

SOS Sahel

Building Resilient Pastoralist Communities

2009-2011