Farm Africa and SOS Sahel Ethiopia deliver forage support to drought-affected livestock in Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Farm Africa and SOS Sahel Ethiopia, with funding secured from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Ethiopia, have delivered emergency animal feed assistance to save livestock affected by drought in the Borena zone in the Oromia National Regional State of Ethiopia.

The support will give relief to livestock in four districts of Borena zone for one month.

The drought has dried up pasture in the region, leaving communities unable to feed their livestock.

A total of 24 trucks, loaded with 19,200 bales of animal feed, have been distributing support to 1,400 households in the Arero, Wachile, Dubuluk and Dhas districts.

Shewit Emmanuel, Ethiopia Country Director for Farm Africa, commented: “The Borena zone is home to hundreds of thousands of agropastoralists, who depend on rearing livestock and growing crops for their livelihoods. The rains have failed for a couple of consecutive seasons, leading to a deterioration in the condition of many livestock, and sadly many have perished, predominantly cattle. Agropastoralists’ livelihoods and food security are at risk due to reduced milk and meat production and crop failures.”

As longstanding partner organisations to the people and Government of Ethiopia, Farm Africa and SOS Sahel Ethiopia, with funding from the Royal Norwegian Embassy to Ethiopia, have worked together for many years to implement a REDD+ project in the Bale Eco-region of Ethiopia. The project supported forest communities to develop sustainable livelihoods and reduce emissions from deforestation by 10.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide between 2012 and 2019.

Aligning with the Oromia Forested Landscape Program, Farm Africa and SOS Sahel Ethiopia are now preparing a new programme, Forest for Sustainable Development (FSD), in Bale and Guji/Borena zones.

The programme will contribute to the sustainable conservation of natural forest, biodiversity and eco-system services in Bale Mountains Eco-region and associated landscapes in Guji and Borena Zones.