20100913
africanews

Extreme poverty and frequent natural disasters are a constant feature of life in northern Kenya and across the Horn of Africa. But continuous poor development and local conflict are worsening the already grim situation.

Natural hazards such as droughts and floods continue to pose life-threatening challenges to the communities in this region, most of who depend on livestock for their sustenance. Impacts of droughts are particularly severe because in the current conditions the communities cannot cope with the stress exerted on the resources and are highly vulnerable to the harsh conditions.

Benoit Collin is the head of the Disaster Risk Reduction programme at the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO).

Northern Kenya, and the Horn of Africa in general, is perennially in crises; what is the problem?

Benoit Collin: The Horn of Africa suffers from frequent disasters brought about by lack of rainfall or sometimes by heavy and sudden rains. The biggest problem in this region is the continued poor development, which is best seen in the lack of and deterioration of infrastructure and services. One of the hallmarks of this region is unreliable roads, poorly serviced markets, and frequent conflicts as a result of competition over the meagre naturally occurring resources.

How did these people cope with natural hazards especially droughts in the past?

BC: Most of the population in northern Kenya lives off livestock and a relatively small percentage practices farming while also keeping some animals. Traditionally, the livestock keepers would move from place to place depending on the availability of water and pasture. This is no longer possible in most parts of northern Kenya since most land has been taken up by the growing human settlements and because of conflicts. In Dukale village along the Kenya Ethiopia border, almost all herders have a gun strapped on their shoulder, a machete in one hand and a herding stick in the other. Previous conflicts have left the Borana afraid of leaving the safety of their territory and suspicious of any outsiders.

What can be done to ease the situation?

BC: One approach to the complex problem in this region is to increase availability and access to the natural resources especially water, which is a primary cause of most conflicts and a lifeline to a vast number of people in the Horn. I met Guyatu Bagaja of Qilta village at the Somare water pan in Moyale and she said the life of the community revolves around water; the more they have, the better their lives. The Commission has supported repair of water pans, constructed new wells and boreholes, and trained communities on better usage and management of water and pasture; while also encouraging communities to mutually share water and pasture across the ethnic and administrative borders.

Will these interventions pull this region from poverty?

BC: The Disaster Risk Reduction programme is certainly improving the lives of many, but the main objective is to demonstrate best practices. Disaster risk reduction is a development rather than a humanitarian issue; it is therefore the responsibility of governments and development agencies. The Programme implemented by aid agencies is only providing technical solutions in the form of pilot projects that will serve as examples to be copied and implemented in a bigger scale to achieve greater impact. These projects provide a basis for governments in the Horn of Africa to firmly respond to threats of disasters. In 2010, ECHO has provided € 20 million and will only support between 20 and 25 such projects in the Horn of Africa.

Is there any way of ensuring that governments take up these lessons?

BC: Governments are playing a very supportive role in disaster risk reduction and ECHO’s partners are keen to involve these institutions in the planning and implementation of projects. However, a lot more ground must be covered. For instance, several countries of the region are yet to adopt Disaster Risk Reduction policies. And while the projects in the Horn of Africa demonstrate that these solutions are sound, the ultimate decision whether to replicate or not, lies with national authorities and governments.