Livestock recovery and restoration in dire and Moyale woredas, Borana zone Borana zone of Oromia region has experienced worst drought during the year 2017.  As per the 2017 Belg Assessment conducted by multiagency team in May-June 2017 suggests that emergency is on the rise and its impact is being reflected on the conditions of loss of livelihoods of the pastoral and agro-pastoral communities across all woredas of Borana zone in general and Dire and Moyale woredas in particular. The year 2017 Ganna rain was expected to downscale the situation but all woredas of the zone received 1-3 days’ rainfall which is by far insufficient. The rainfall served to recharge community ponds but these were supposed to support for not more than a month despite the vast number of cattle population.  As the result of pasture and water shortages, quite large number of livestock population were obliged to travel very long distance to only exacerbate the already weak body condition of the livestock. Livestock body condition has been deteriorating especially of lactating cows and calves. Livestock movement in search of pasture exhibited since February 2017. 
As per the multi-agency assessment report, the prolonged dry period which was between November 2016 and March 2017 said to have claimed 379,251 heads of livestock death which is 27-30% of livestock population in the zone. The total economic loss due to livestock death estimated at USD 1,536,956,000 (May-June 2017 Report).  The livestock body condition remains much below normal with unusual migration of livestock within and out of the country. The income from livestock is beyond expectation as livestock products are much below normal.  Pasture is much below normal for cattle while for the browsers there is relative improvement. As part of emergency livestock response, total of 316,835 bale of hay was supported by government while FAO supported 2500 HH and 12500 head of livestock by livestock feed. Christian Aid as well responded through 9,000 bales of hay and 2,400 quintals of concentrate including livestock medicines.  NGOs contributed for the livestock feed and commercial de-stocking include Mercy Corps, CARE, SOS Sahel and ACF.   
In response to the situation, different organizations, including governmental and non-governmental, contributed a lot in the provision of animal feed. Nonetheless, the extended drought condition is still demanding more of animal feeds and the Zonal Coordination Task force report (June 2017) emphasized the need to reach at least 10% (2,491,828) cattle population in the form of hay and concentrate. Data obtained from Zonal administration indicate that in Dirre and Moyale woredas, the total households numbering to 41,296 and having the total cattle population of 168,154 are in need of livestock feed assistance to rescue at least the core breeding stocks.

Although There is no disease outbreak, the trends shown that the scarcity of pasture and water and the resultant weak body condition of the livestock exposed the animals to diseases and caused huge death next to the direct impact of the drought itself. Reports indicate that CCPP, CBPP, LSD are the common diseases among small stock of animals while internal parasites is reported to predominate and hence the demand for treatment. Hence for demand for veterinary drug has become so important to treat livestock that became vulnerable to diseases over stretched time bound.

This project is aimed to undertake livestock emergency intervention in two woredas of Borana zone, specifically in Dirre and Moyale where the situation has reached emergency stage already.  Given limited resource capacity the project now will focus on 5 Kebeles (two in Moyale and three in Dire). Key components of the project are animal feed and distribution (23,712 bales of hays and 1185.6 quintals of concentrates), Veterinary service that includes vitamins and deworming drugs of 1976 bolus of albendazole and 395.2 vials of multi vitamins. The project targets 988 households and 1,976 livestock. 

The project will be linke