Galgaduud Water Situation (Short Repport)

Background

Somalia:

Somalia is a part of Horn of Africa and shares boundaries with Djibouti in the northwest, Ethiopia in the west and Kenya in the south. Somalia covers an area of 637,600 square Km. It has a long coastline on the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. The population is estimate at around 10 million with annual population growth rate of about 3 percent. Nearly 50% of the population is nomadic whose life depends on livestock, and about 28% are settled farmers. The remainder is classified as urban. The country has been marred in more or less a continuous civil war for a decade and half, and remains without central government.

Project Area (Upper Galgudud)

The upper Galgudud, also known as North Galgudud, region is an area in central Somalia bordering Ogaden region of Ethiopia. The region has an estimated population of about 250,000 majorities of which are nomads. Livestock and small level trading are the region’s main economic activities. Agriculture is quite rare. The region’s main towns consist of Abudwak with an estimated permanent inhabitants of 30,000- 40,000, Balanbale with 15,000 people, Dhabbad with 5,000, Bangelle with 2,000.

The upper Galgudud inhabitants severed from long time of civil war and droughts. It started when every thing went wrong after the end of Ogden war between Somalia and Ethiopia in 1979 and rise of Somali guerrilla (jabhads) or warlords who in order to get supporters used clan based struggle against Somalia’s government. The region was at war a decade before other Somali people touched by the evils of war and inner struggle. The leaders of the community, elders and those residents who lived the area are mostly killed while they where trying to defend what little left on their houses and business. For now there are many of original inhabitants who live at different part of the region as an internal displaced people (IDP).



Economic situation:

Abudwak is the second-largest town of the Galgudud province of central Somalia. It situated 90 km to the north of Dusa-Mareb, the province’s capital. The last ten years, the town’s population has more than doubled to about 40,000 residents as internal displaced people (IDP) fleeing from various parts of the country sought safety in town. Abudwak also supports a much larger nomadic population and their livestock in the surrounding area. Because the city is located only some 15 km from the Ethiopian border many nomads from the Ogaden region rely on the city’s services. During the long dry winter season, nomads move to Abudwak from as far as Warder and Galadi areas on the Ethiopian side of the border to find permanent water wells in the city.

Despite the absence of the central government in the country, goods pass through city safely. Even though occasional minor tribal conflicts, often stemming from the absence of judicial system, business activities in Abudwak can be conducted in relative safety. As local government institutions ceased to exist, elders had resumed their traditional role as peacekeepers and as agent of stability and tranquility in the area. There are numerous informal agreements and peace treaties between the various tribes in the area bypassing factional militia leaders who seem to have little influence in this region. Trucks carrying goods from as far as the port city of Boosaaso in the East and those from Mogadishu as well as goods from the northern city of Burao make their way to Abudwak. Due to the large number of livestock, livestock exporters from east and the north of the country regularly come to the region to purchase livestock from local markets.

Livestock is main backbone of the regions economy where is the second source of income is remittance sent by brothers and families in Diasporas. The exploration of natural resource other than water is not well developed. Because of the large number of animals which nomads graze the area, the water scarcity and grazing area rights are main source of conflict. In the dry season of winter most humans and animals die because of lack of water. The wild life animals are also wiped out by the scarcity of water and domestic animals which demanded too much of their habitat area. The upper Galagdud area is in verge of environmental disaster due to repeated droughts in last 30 years.

There are four cities and many villages in the region. The villages are mostly small but they are very important for nomads because of closeness of grazing area, water wells and small shopping stores which provide mostly food and clothing stuff.


Water situation and needs

Abudwak town has 9 Tube-wells (according Iqra org. survey at 2006). Out of these 9 wells, three are not functioning. Generally, five of the wells were built by former central government and the other four are private wells. Currently, the six wells functioning (four are private and the other two are those built by previous government though they are in the hand of particular people who use them in private).
Balanbaale town has 3 boreholes. Out of these three wells, one is not functioning. Balanbaale Diasporas groups living aboard constructed the two functioning wells and local privately owned company sells the water to the residents of the town as well as livestock.

Dhabad has only one bore and is managed privately. Although it cannot cover the needs of the people and animals in the area it supports too many migrants from as far Galadi(Ethiopia) and Yamarugley(Ethiopia). The worst happens when the borehole stops working or malfunctions (which often happens on dry season because of overtime use of the machines), the communities supported by this borehole has to migrate on the hunt of water to Abudwak or other places and many of them don’t make that trip.

City/Village/ Well tubes/ How many working/ Private held/ Not working
Abudwak /9/ 6/ 5/ 4
Balanbale /3/ 2/ 2/ 1
Dhabad /1/ 1/ 1
Qorof 0 0 0 0
Yamarugley 0 0
Godane 0 0
Herale(xerale) 0 0
Dadher 0 0

The villages are more than these few we repported here and we make short in purpose and we can say rest of them doesnot have any wells. During the rain season, water are sold 20,000[1] So. Sh. per barrel equivalent to one dollar and half while the cost of the water during the hot season are 45,000 So Sh equivalent to three dollars per barrel. Most of the people are poor and cannot afford to pay this price, in fact this is a country where people live lest than $1 a day[2]. It is common to see people begging to receive water for their livestock as the money they had was not enough for the needed water.


The need

I n order to make water cheaper and more accessible we recommend that
· More boreholes must be dig in the small villages
· More water distribution centers is needed on far places
· Environmental. Tree plantation and wild life awareness must be concentrated

The benefits

> More human and animal lives will be saved
> As concentration of animals and humans on few places becomes less the environments will be saved and recovery of wild animals and flora (which is in dangerous situation now) will be seen on coming years.
> The conflict over water and grazing right will be less.
[1] According to survey made by Iqra Org.2006
[2] According world bank and UN