Livelihood interventions to safeguard and revitalize livestock-based communities prone to drought in south and southeastern Ethiopia As per findings of the Meher assessment in December 2016, the below normal performance of Deyr/Hageya rains in 2016 in South Omo zone of SNNPR resulted in water and pasture shortage which continued to have huge impact on livestock, including high mortality, very poor body condition, early migration and outbreak of major livestock diseases. To ensure livestock owners are able to face the long dry spells between Jan and March 2017, FAO in close collaboration with the Emergency Livestock Working Group (ELWG) and Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) identified priority areas for livestock livelihood protection within vulnerable areas of the south and southeastern lowland of Ethiopia. The selections of the areas were made based on a series of field missions by FAO regional staff as well as in depth discussions with regional governments and recent Meher seasonal assessment findings. Given the scope of the crisis and limited interventions being undertaken in SNNP Region, particularly in south Omo, FAO selected the worst-affected woredas of Malle, Hammer and Bena Tsemay for livelihood support. The woredas were selected based on: food and nutrition security status (classified by the regional government) being heavily Deyr/Hageya rain-dependent and having not received assistance during the season and not targeted with sufficient livelihood support in response to the current drought situation.
The planned interventions include 
(i)	Livestock feed supplementation: to guarantee access to appropriate livestock feed, commercialized livestock feed interventions will be implemented wherever markets are functioning within affected zone. Targeting core-breeding animals, supplementary concentrate feed, cane tops and other concentrates using locally available agricultural waste products will be utilized. In order to mitigate against market disruptions, these activities will be undertaken along with local traders, agro-dealers as needed. Where possible, locally procured feed will be distributed at temporarily established feeding points and along migratory routes with a preference given to the most productive and core-breeding livestock. The proposed feeding centers will be established near water points.
(ii)	Animal Health provisions for affected/vulnerable livestock: to overcome the near complete lack of pasture, the serious water shortage in affected pastoral communities and the deterioration of the livestock physical condition, and mitigate likely  outbreaks of diseases that will lead to even higher morbidity and mortality of livestock, animal treatments (curative and prophylactic treatments against internal and external parasites and other infectious diseases) will be provided in consultation and cooperation with local veterinarians and community-based animal health systems. 
(iii)	Slaughter destocking of animals with low body weight: In order to generate income for affected households by off-taking weak animals, the project will purchase livestock directly from families, enabling pastoral households to purchase cereals and other food. Meat deemed fit for consumption will be distributed to food insecure and drought-affected households in order to provide animal source proteins and improve nutrition. Working closely with local butchers, livestock marketing cooperatives, market traders and regional authorities, unproductive non-core breeding livestock deemed unfit for or not competitive in local markets will be purchased at reasonable market prices. Of these, animals deemed unfit for human consumption will be slaughtered and disposed.