Wereda Disaster Risk Profiling Programme: SNNP
Disaster Risk Profile: Halaba special woreda
HOUSEHOLD AND COMMUNITY
VULNERABILITY
The livelihood of the community mainly depends on crop production
such as maize sorghum, teff, haricot bean and also pepper as cash
crop also Livestock production such as cattle poultry, shoats and
equines. Selling cereal food crops, agricultural labourer and selling
animals are the main source of income in the woreda.
Lack of enough farming land which is the cause for family conflict is
the main problem in the area. Even if they use oxen for tillage (99%),
59% of the surveyed households do not have their own oxen.
Drought (the main reason to crop damage), deforestation ,animal
disease , shortage of rain , high temperature, poor family planning,
are the major factors which make the community vulnerable to
disaster
Poor sanitation, lack of clean potable drinking water, lack of
infrastructure such as road and electricity, lack of soil and water
conservation activities are additional vulnerability factors in the
woreda.
Almost half of the households reported that it would be impossible to
raise Birr 500 in one week implying their vulnerability to a sudden on‐
set of disaster
Accessibility:
Access to road and urban centre: 57% of the household reported that they have dirty road which is difficult for vehicle leading to their houses, while 23% of the
household do not have road. The average time to reach the nearest paved road is 36 minutes, the average time to reach to the nearest urban centre is 2 hours and 10
minutes
Access to market: Almost 50% of the house hold reported that they have poor access to market due to lack of road
Electricity: None of the surveyed households are connected to electricity
Access to agricultural extension service: is reported to be good and out of the surveyed households 87% of them received agricultural extension service
Access to fertilizer, pesticides and improved seeds: Of the total household surveyed in the woreda 96% used both chemical, chemical and natural fertilizers, 82% of the
household used improved Varity of seeds.
Access to water and sanitation: About 46% of the households surveyed reported that the main source of drinking water is communal tap where 40 % obtain from birka
and rivers. 85% of them use the water without making any type of treatment. With regard to sanitation 73% of the households use outdoor latrine, while 26% of them do
not have toilet facility at all.
Access to health service: 84% of the household surveyed reported that they have no money for treatment coast.
Access to credit: only 7% of the surveyed households have borrowed money, most of them from their friends and relatives to buy food.
Level of Awareness and Institutional Development
Literacy level: The literacy rate is low in the woreda. The proportion of literate population above 7 years old is
only 3%, out of which 52% completed 1st grade and 35% primary school only. The proportion of those who can
read and write text easily is 2%. The gender parity in education is more favour of males in all level. From the total
number of households surveyed, 13% of them are female house‐headed.
Community awareness about disaster risk management system and actors is good, and the level of awaring the
community about disaster and cooperation and participation among the community during disaster is strong.
There is a good institutional development and social network as well as cooperation among people in the kebeles
of the woreda namely youth association, farmers association and women associations helping each other during
disaster, in time of farming, wedding, death, where there is hazard like fire, conflict, etc.
Availability of UNICF, Water action, Farm Africa, FHE, People in need, LVI, Save the children and WFP is a good
potential capacity towards disaster risk management activities of the woreda
InfoBits:
Population
Sex ratio
Urban Population
Mean Altitude
Mean Slope
Road density
Measles caseload
: 232,241(2007)
: 981F/1000 M
:26850 (2007)
:1852 m
: 2.13%
:16.88 %
: 28 (2004-2009)
Sources: Various Secondary Sources
COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO COPE
.
Major coping mechanisms: Consumption rather than sale of crop surplus, reduce expenditure on non‐ essential items, increase working hours, seek alternative or
additional jobs and also selling more live stocks than usual , rent lands during drought seasons are major coping mechanisms used in the woreda
Adaptation (Preparedness) strategies: 65% of the household’s choice is adaptation of economic activities to hazards season and 34% of them is
storage of food and other necessities.
In the woreda only 49% of the households have managed to recover from disaster
During disaster 52% of the households are able to raise Birr 500 in one week through saving, borrowing and doubt from other persons.
Crop and livestock diversity: : The most commonly grown crops in the woreda are Maize, sorghum, Teff, Harricot bean, wheat, pepper and finger millet, while the
major types of livestock reared in the woreda are cattle, poultry, shoats and equines.