We reda Disaster Risk Profiling Programme: Oromia
Disaster Risk Profile: Silti Zone Wulbareg Wereda
HOUSEHOLD AND COMMUNITY
VVULUNLNERERAABBILILITITYY
Crop production is the major livelihood activityin the wereda followed by livestock
production. Access to utilization of inputs (fertilizer, improved seed and pesticides)
and agricultural extension service is reported well in the woreda. March is the most
problematic month in terms of water and pasture availability for livestock .
Households obtain crops and livestock products required for consumption mainly
through own production since they are practising mixed farming. During dryseason,
market value of livestock is low (mainly due to poor body condition of the animals)
while price of crops is very high which caused asset depletion and food insecurity as
households have to sell more livestock to purchase food consumption.
Of the total households interviewed cash for work and food for work constitute a
large proportion that they are helped in formal government transfer. Moreover,
about most the households reported that it would be possible to raise Birr 500 in one
week implying their vulnerability to a sudden on-set of disasters. Youngsters migrate
to other areas for economic purposes (for better job opportunities) particularly to
urban areas.
Lack of clean drinking water, poor sanitation, presence of malaria prone areas and
malnutrition due to drought make the community more vulnerable to human
diseases in the area. Choosing migration rather than solving the root cause of
disasters; large household size and lack of family planning; illiteracy; deforestation;
dependency syndrome and poor natural resource conservation activities are also
additional vulnerability factors in the wereda.
Acces s ibility:
Access to road and urban centre: about 2/3rd of the households have dirty road (which is difficult for vehicle) leading to their house, while 20% of the households do not
have road. Average time taken to reach the nearest paved road is one hour. On the other hand, average time taken to reach the nearest urban centre is more than 50
minutes.
Access to electricity is almost nil, and very few households (3%) are located in the community with electricityand only 1.9 % of the households are actually connected to
electric power.
Access to veterinary facility: of the total households surveyed, 26% and 36% of them reported adequate and good) access to veterinary service and livestock drugs
respectively.
Access to market is reported to be adequate but low market price of livestock and high price of crops during dry season indicated as market problem in the wereda.
Access to agricultural extension service is reported to be good, 92% of the households surveyed have received agricultural extens ion service.
Access to fertilizer, pesticides and improved seeds: of the total households surveyed in the wereda, above half the households have used any type of fertilizer and
pesticide in crop production. Likewise, 95% of the households reported using improved variety of seeds.
Access to water and sanitation: about 3/4th of the population primarily obtain drinking water from rivers and bono, and 90% of the households use the water without
making any type of treatment. With regard to sanitation, 96% of the households use outdoor latrine.
Access to credit: Above 50% % of the households borrowed money mainly from formal credit institutions and friends/relatives. But they used the money borrowed to
purchase agricultural.
Level of Awareness and Institutional Development
The literacy level of the population above 7 years of age is 17.75%, out of which 42%% of them completed only
below first grade level, while 48% and 8.7% of the population attended primary and secondary school respectively.
With regard to gender parity in education, proportion of female students dominates at below first grade level, but
their number dwindles and highly dominated by males as the education level gets higher.
Community awareness about disaster risk management system and actors is relatively good. There are many
community based organizations in the area, such as saving and credit institutions, farmers cooperatives (which
supply commodities with fair price), agricultural cooperatives (which are engaged in inputs supply), and other
organizations with various activities like Edir and Ekub. There are some NGOs operating in the area such as Goal,
CDA and SLM project which are engaged in different activities such as Improving health, Supporting vulnerable
children and women, natural resource management.
InfoBits:
Population
Sex ratio
Urban Population
Mean Altitude
Mean Slope
Measles caseload
PLWHA on ART
Under-five children eligible
for supplementary feeding
: 79971(2007)
: 51% F/49% M
: 2197 (2007)
:
:
: 1(2004-2009)
:
:
S ources: V arious Secondary S ources
COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO COPE
Selling more livestock than usual, consumption rather than sale of crop surplus, looking for alternative (additional) jobs an d increasing working hours are the general coping
mechanisms adopted by households during disasters. For crop pests and diseases, they use chemical spray and sometimes sweep the crop with tree branches and also
demarcate plots with ash.
Saving resources (crops and money), selling animals and saving the money in bank or purchasing crops and making area closure are among the most frequent preparedness
measures taken byhouseholds against drought.
Strong social network is present in the area, which can be gauged from the fact that free use of oxen labour, human labour and pack animals and cash loan (with no
interest) is very common. Community participation in the development activity of the area like infrastructure development is very good.
Crop and livestock diversity: average number of crop grown is only 1.2, and the two major crops grown are maize, wheat, teff and barely, while the major type of livestock
reared in the wereda include cattle, goat, sheep, and donkey.