Medeshi 22 Oct, 2008
In pictures: Kenya's Somali region drought
In pictures: Kenya's Somali region drought
BBC
Avoiding conflict
Echo is supporting the construction of strategically placed water pans and wells.
Ethiopian pastoralists often stray into Kenya and Somalia to use the water resources, which can lead to conflict.
This water collection tank in Ducale in Ethiopia has helped to reduce local tensions. It may also reduce livestock theft as people no longer need to plunder animals from other pastoralists to replace their animals which have died.
Echo is supporting the construction of strategically placed water pans and wells.
Ethiopian pastoralists often stray into Kenya and Somalia to use the water resources, which can lead to conflict.
This water collection tank in Ducale in Ethiopia has helped to reduce local tensions. It may also reduce livestock theft as people no longer need to plunder animals from other pastoralists to replace their animals which have died.
Camel milkThe only animals that can survive a sustained drought are camels, so farmers are moving away from traditional forms of pastoralism and replacing cattle with camels.
The European Commission's Humanitarian Aid department (Echo) is providing a small number of camels to pastoralists.
Camel milk is a delicacy which can be sold, and once the camels start reproducing the benefits will spread to the wider community.
Scarce water
The people of Takaba are among the worst hit in Kenya by the drought. Water has to be fetched in at great expense.
The town has had no rain for over six months and its six water pans have completely dried up.
Mohammed Abdulai Abdi points out that the closest functioning water pan is now more than 100km away.
Goat plagueThe PPR virus, commonly known as goat plague, is sweeping across southern Ethiopia and northern Kenya.
Mohammed Noor recenlty lost 20 goats and is wondering how he will provide for his family.
Mohammed Abdulai Abdi says it is too late to save this goat, but that better provision of vaccines in the future could prevent the death of thousands of animals.
VetIn Takaba, a small town 75km (47 miles) from the Ethiopian border, privately owned vet pharmacies give animals a better chance of surviving drought.
Community animal health worker Mohammed Abdulai Abdi serves around 3,000 herdsmen, sometimes travelling for several days on foot with a medicine pack, even to Ethiopia.
"Many pastoralists have little knowledge about how to cure ailments. I have saved a lot of animals with basic medicines from my pharmacy."
Maize stalksDespite the hot and harsh conditions, communities are finding ways to cope with the water shortage and lack of fodder.
In Mandera, where farmers benefit from a seasonal river which flows down from the Ethiopian highlands, they are encouraged to harvest maize stalks for their animals before they grow into cobs.
Feisal Farah says he can produce enough stalks to get his cattle through the dry season as well as selling some to pastoralists who have no land.
Land pressure
More people require more livestock to survive, but the land is not able to support any more animals.
Pastoralist farmers are travelling further and further to find water for themselves and their animals.
There has not been enough rainfall to plant crops, and now a growing number of people require food and water assistance to survive.
Famine loomingPoor rains mean another tense period for communities living in the dry bush-land of north-eastern Kenya, close to Somalia and Ethiopia.
Despite the preparations that communities are making, if the short rains fail in October and November more people will be faced with famine.
The lack of rain causes drought, but it is the increase in the number of people living off the land that means many communities are threatened with famine.
By Daniel Dickinson/Echo
