Emergency work

As well as running long-term development programmes, VETAID also co-ordinates relief and rehabilitation responses to crises affecting communities dependent on livestock.

You can read about our recent emergency work below or click here to find out more about further emergency experience which VETAID has gained through previous projects.

Mass vaccination campaign in Somaliland, May 2008

Following huge livestock losses earlier this year in western Somaliland, VETAID has begun work to vaccinate the weakened animals that remain.

In January 2008, Awdal region in western Somaliland, on the border of Djibouti, received rains accompanied by extreme cold weather. The rains caused massive deaths of livestock, a situation that was compounded by the animals’ poor body condition due to below normal seasonal rains.

The livestock population in Awdal region had increased over the past 3 years. However, following the below normal seasonal rains at the end of 2007 and beginning of 2008, the amount of animal fodder available was greatly reduced.

The lack of animal feed led to the livestock becoming weak and therefore unable to cope with the harsh weather conditions. The animals also subsequently became more susceptible to disease.

The few areas of the region that received better rains became overpopulated with animals that had been brought there by their owners. With so many animals within just a few districts of the region, livestock diseases spread rapidly.

An estimated 55-66% of livestock were lost to the rains. Animal diseases, particularly Peste des Petite Ruminants (PPR) and Contagious Caprine Pleuro Pneumonia (CCPP) are currently a major threat in the area. If left uncontrolled, there is a possibility of these deadly diseases spreading to new areas.

The most affected communities rely solely on livestock – mainly goats and sheep - for their food and income. Their animals provide meat and milk directly, and can be sold to buy goods such as rice, sorghum, wheat flour, sugar and cooking oil.

Due to the cold rains and the resultant livestock deaths, more than 2,000 families in the area have been driven to complete destitution. As well as losing their main source of food, people are unable to sell their surviving livestock as they are in such poor condition.

In addition, the animals are producing much less milk which means that children in these communities have little or no dairy products in their diets. This situation has been worsened by a 58% increase in the prices of basic food items.

The campaign which VETAID is running over the next three months will vaccinate and treat around 300,000 sheep and goats. This will prevent the spread of diseases which are threatening the livelihoods of sheep and goat producers in Awdal region and neighbouring regions of Somaliland.

Assisting drought-affected families in northern Somalia, March 2008

VETAID has begun an emergency project in two districts of Somalia’s Sool Plateau which are currently seriously affected by a localised drought.

From March to May 2008, VETAID working alongside a local organisation, Sustainable Agro-pastoral Development Organization (SADO), to provide almost 30,000 vulnerable people in Taleh and Hudun districts with a safe water supply.

The current drought is due to the failure of the short rainy season (Deyr in Somali) at the end of 2007 and has resulted in severe water shortages in these districts.

This problem has been compounded by the increasing numbers of people coming into these areas from nearby Lasanod town, which has been the focus of fighting between Somaliland and Puntland forces. The increased population size means that more people are dependent on an already insufficient local water supply.

VETAID is rehabilitating wells in three locations across the two districts and water is being transported by road from these wells to communities most in need. Four underground storage tanks, known as ‘berkets’ are also being constructed to provide a sustainable water source within the affected communities.

This emergency work will initially run for three months but is dependent upon the arrival of the expected long rains (Gu in Somali) which should begin in April.

VETAID is already working on the Sool Plateau to develop reliable water sources for vulnerable communities. This means VETAID is well-placed to undertake additional water activities in the area in collaboration with SADO.

The water provided to each family will be mainly for human consumption although animal herders may share the water supplied with their less mobile animals in order to ensure the animals’ survival.

Rift Valley Fever Outbreak, 2006 - 2007

Rift Valley Fever (RVF), a highly contagious virus spread through mosquito bites, claimed more than 300 lives and an unknown number of livestock in east Africa.

The disease is transmitted to humans from livestock via mosquitoes or through contact with infected animals and spread due to the close contact that herdsmen in rural areas have with their livestock. The epidemic was been triggered by the recent extensive flooding in the region, as mosquitoes breed rapidly during floods.

 

Vaccination is vital to stop the spread of the virus and VETAID assisted with an emergency campaign which aims to inoculate more than 2 million cattle, sheep, goats and camels.  VETAID worked with the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation to administer vaccine to livestock in the projected path of the outbreak in Kenya, for the most part in remote areas which are difficult to access.

 

Robert Bowen, VETAID’s Regional Coordinator, stated “The impact of Rift Valley Fever is devastating to the already fragile livelihoods of rural farmers and herders, who rely on their animals for income and food.  Families are unable to safely eat meat from their animals and - due to the closure of livestock markets - many are now unable to afford medical bills and school fees.  This campaign is crucial to prevent more deaths and hardship.”