Drought Hits Ethiopia

The drought hit Ethiopia has started destocking tens of thousands of goats and sheep through mass slaughtering.

The drought hit pastoralist areas of Ethiopia has 5.6 million people who are in need of emergency food assistance.

APA reports that the destocking of animals has been underway in two ways, by supplying the animals directly to the market.

They are being slaughtered and supplied to universities, institutions and mega projects that comprise a larger number of employees and communities,

Mr. Mitiku Kassa, Commissioner of Disaster Risk Management Commission, said the pastoralist communities own a large number of livestock and that makes supply of adequate fodder and water for all cattle challenging and hence destocking has been used as a means to minimize animal loss.

In addition to supplying to the institutions, local communities in Ethiopia’s Somali State have started to use the meat as supplementary food.

“For instance, more than 2,000 goats are being slaughtered where the meat is being dried and supplied to the people as a supplementary nutritious food every day, which is a good thing that the other regional states should share”, Mitiku said.

He said humanitarian assistance to the drought affected areas is being pursued in accordance with the plan and no challenge has so far been encountered in providing food aid.

“Food and non-food responses to the drought affected areas are prudently underway by dispersing the budget allocated while the regional states, business persons, private sector and the general public are playing a key role.”

But the dispersed pastoralists’ settlements make the task of supplying water difficult, which he said, forcing the government to search for other mechanisms.

The government is working to meet the water demands of pastoralist communities through rationing as a temporary measure and excavation of water holes to resolve the problem permanently.

APA