ELMT KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

The ELMT/ELSE Program aimed to increase the self-reliance and resiliency of the livestock-based populations living in the drought prone, cross-border areas of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. It was also the primary field-based component of USAID’s Regional Enhanced Livelihoods in the Mandera Triangle (RELPA) program that included components on: a) conflict sensitivity and peace-building, b) co-ordination and policy support (PACAPS), and c) support to COMESA.

The ELMT/ELSE program was implemented by a Consortium led by CARE Somalia and also comprising CARE Kenya, Save the Children/US (SC/US), CARE Ethiopia, Save the Children/UK (SC/UK) and Vétérinaires Sans Frontières-Suisse (VSF-S), together with some 25 local organizations and resource agencies. Despite the challenges of working in a large consortium across three countries, and in an area often beset by insecurity and drought, much has been achieved - both individually and collaboratively. Over 170,000 households benefited from ELMT/ELSE over the course of program and approximately 45% of the direct beneficiaries were women. Considerable innovation has taken place leading to cross-organization and cross-border learning, and substantial scaling-up, in the following areas:

Contingency planning and early preparedness: ELMT contributed to the development of a new approach to ‘early response planning’ focusing on the development of crisis calendars and the shortening of organisational response times. This approach was used to directly strengthen 7 contingency plans (2 in Ethiopia, 3 in Kenya and 2 in Somalia) and support cross-border early response planning in Garissa, Kenya and Moyale, Ethiopia. It was reported that support in this area led to the improved preparedness of a number of organisations working in Somalia and Kenya, increased co-ordination among emergency and development actors, enhanced sharing of early warning information and the development and funding of a number of ‘early response’ proposals. 147 community members in Ethiopia and 167 in Kenya were trained in early warning and early response planning and a number of early preparedness activities were also promoted at community level, e.g. hay making, early off-take of livestock and restocking of households (200) using a traditional restocking mechanism. Field-based studies were also carried out on pastoral drop-outs, climate-change related vulnerability and adaptive capacity, and the carbon sequestration potential of the drylands in Ethiopia.

Animal health: VSF-Suisse/Kenya piloted an approach of linking Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) with community drug stores that were in turn linked to private veterinarian drug suppliers, using a ‘shared-risk’ model. An Impact Assessment over-seen by PACAPS found that the model has great potential for sustaining and expanding animal health provision in Northern Kenya and beyond. To follow, animal husbandry training and open days on animal health were held for over 200 community members and 14 privately owned drug stores were rehabilitated. In Kenya and Somalia, 32 and 69 CAHWS were trained, treating animals from 4,776 and 17,599 households, respectively. CARE-Ethiopia and SAVE/US trained 120 CAHWs and supported the vaccination of over 1 million animals in eight districts in Borana and Afder Zones of Southern Ethiopia. VSF-Suisse was also instrumental in the development of a unique training manual on Camel Husbandry and Health that was used as a basis for the first camel-specific training of 52 CAHWS in Kenya. Two Training-Of-Trainer workshops were also carried out in Ethiopia for 57 consortium members and partners, who then went on to train an additional 131 CAHWs in camel health and husbandry in Ethiopia. ELMT co-funded the largest Kenya Camel Forum to date in 2009, which was attended by 252 participants - including Ethiopia partners - who, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, subsequently established the Ethiopian Camel Forum.

Natural Resource Management: In Ethiopia, support to customary institutions in 32 PAs/Maddas in Ethiopia led to the establishment of around 32 dry season grazing reserves, totalling over 9000ha, that benefited approximately 14,000 households, the dismantling of 519 private enclosures and the re-opening up of 40 migration routes that improved access to mineral, watering and grazing areas. There was increased recognition of customary institutions’ critical roles in NRM and their increased collaboration with government officials. 10 participatory mapping and action planning processes were carried out with communities in Ethiopia, and a new methodology for participatory NRM mapping was developed for watersheds and 2,400km² were mapped using satellite interpretation by communities. Holistic range management was piloted in Ethiopia and Kenya, with over 100 people trained and pilot/learning sites established in both countries. Innovative approaches, including traditional poetry recitations and FM radio discussions, were used to raise awareness of NRM issues, including the protection of key species, in Somalia. Fourteen water points were rehabilitated to provide easier access to water for over 15,000 households in Somalia and Ethiopia. The NRM Technical Working Group (TWG) also held a series of well attended meetings on various issues including: prosopis, prescribed fire, carbon sequestration, rangeland products and Holistic Management, and related information and resources were shared with over 250 partners. As a result, NRM TWGs were also set up in three regions of Ethiopia. A number of publications have also been produced including a book on “Lessons in Improved Rangeland Management in Pastoral Areas through ELMT/ELSE”, as well as a series of participatory guidelines on NRM issues.

Livelihood diversification: CARE-Kenya trained over 900 individuals, and 74 trainers, in business development skills, while 336 people were trained in honey processing, 118 in mat making, 60 in agricultural production, 20 in skins and hides management and 700 people in milk hygiene and preservation, (the latter group including male camel herders and female milk traders from peri-urban areas and urban centres). 170 individuals were provided aluminium milk containers or improved bee hives in Kenya, while 25 groups were provided ‘seed’ money in Ethiopia. CARE Kenya developed guidelines on the identification, selection and development of alternative enterprise opportunities, as well as adapted business development skill training materials for Somalia areas and developed a curriculum for business literacy which was later adopted by the Ministry of Northern Kenya. Around 250 women were trained in functional literacy and 300 women were trained in group savings and loans.

Fodder: 183 farmers in Kenya and Somalia have improved training in fodder production and produced a total of 17,219 bales of fodder and 697kg seed, and an additional 120 farmers started fodder production as a result of seeing their neighbours’ success. In Ethiopia, two groups of farmers were provided with pumps, tools and training for fodder production. During the 2009 drought much of the fodder was used by farmers at home got their own animals and lead to average increases in production of 1litre per day in cows and 0.5 litres in goats. Fodder also generated an average of around USD400 per farmer in sales. A value-chain assessment of fodder production was also conducted around Mandera, Kenya and a study tour was organised for contact farmers from Kenya and Somalia. A ‘training of trainers’ course for 37 fodder technicians from across the three countries was held, leading to improved fodder production practices being implemented by ELMT consortium members and subgrantees.

Peace-building: Wajir Peace and Development Association, with support from Oxfam-GB, set up 15 conflict/early warning desks now recognized as a model for community-based conflict/early warning work. Three new peace committees were established in Greater Wajir area and ‘conflict-sensitivity’ was also improved among District Steering Group (DSG) members in Kenya. The Al Fataah declaration was reviewed by elders and led to the inclusion of promotion of sharing of natural resources and conservation in peace-committees’ mandates. Local level cross-border peace meetings were held in Dollo and Moyale and subsequently, ELMT, in conjunction with CEWARN, organised a high level cross-border meeting in Moyale, Ethiopia that was attended by 130 pastoral, government and NGOs representatives from both countries. This effort resulted in formal plans to strengthen local peace structures and develop a framework for cross-border peacebuilding, as well as follow-on meetings.

Policy/advocacy: A number of regional workshops on policy issues have been held, including a Regional Livestock Marketing Symposium for the HoA attended by 160 participants that resulted in policy recommendations and plans of action to promote cross-border livestock marketing. ELMT supported a policy and strategy consultation-meeting between pastoralists and Ministry officials on the role of the Ministry of Northern Kenya, as well as a study on the eco-tourism potential of the drylands to feed into the Ministry’s ‘Vision 2030’. Linkages have also been facilitated between key resource organisations and the Ministry of Northern Kenya regarding the latter’s key program strategies: education, investment and infrastructure; the framework for a Northern Kenya Investment Fund was also developed.

Scaling-up:Through the leveraging of funds ELMT complemented, expanded and built on its program activities, e.g. ECHO’s Regional Drought Preparedness Program, (through which all ELMT consortium members were financed to undertake complementary activities), and the second phase of the Pastoral Livelihoood Initiative (PLI2), involving SC/US, CARE Ethiopia and SC/UK. A number of activities developed under ELMT were also taken forward with other funding, including: a study on water interventions in pastoral areas funded by ODI-RIPPLE and the Global Water Initiative; field trials on prosopis funded under SAVE/US’s PSNP program; guidelines on participatory drylands management, funded by FAO; CAHW and CASPRO training, and savings and loans groups established under OFDA funded Arid/Marginal Lands Recovery Program. In addition, elements of ELMT have since been replicated by other organisations: e.g. VSF-Germany and SNV are now implementing VSF-Suisse’s shared-risk model for veterinary service provision in Northern Kenya.

Sharing experiences: ‘Good practices’, field experiences and technical information have been shared through an ELMT bi-annual newsletter, ELMT monthly technical e-bulletin and the ELMT website, as well as through periodic cross-border livelihood situation updates and NRM e-bulletins. A synthesis document of the challenges, achievements and lessons learnt through ELMT/ELSE has also been produced. In total, over 100 studies, reports, technical and policy briefs have been produced, many of which are now available on the ELMT website: www.elmt-relpa.org. To ensure ongoing access and scale up, the website and e-bulletin will be handed over to the Horn of Africa Pastoral Network (HoAPN).