26 July 2018: Intervening early in countries where natural disasters are likely to hit can mitigate impacts and prevent humanitarian emergencies, according to a report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). The report focuses on interventions in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia in advance of catastrophic 2017 drought.Early interventions, according to the report, shift the focus from response to prevention and mitigation, and, in the process, save lives, secure livelihoods, build resilience to future shocks and ease pressure on strained humanitarian resources.

The report titled, ‘Horn of Africa: Impact of Early Warning Early Action: Protecting pastoralist livelihoods ahead of drought,’ describes FAO’s efforts to help pastoralists in the three Horn of Africa countries to protect their breeding herds, and keep their children healthy and in school. The study analyzes the outcomes of early actions implemented in the three countries, and evaluates their effectiveness in mitigating the impact of severe drought on vulnerable pastoralists’ livelihoods. It quantifies the benefits generated through early action.

For every US$1 spent by FAO on early livestock interventions in advance of 2017 droughts, each family saw benefits of up to US$9.

The report finds that for every US$1 spent by FAO on early livestock interventions in advance of 2017 droughts, each family saw benefits of up to US$9 as a result of fewer animals dying of hunger and disease, and from the production of up to three times more milk. This enabled herders to better “safeguard their future” as losing animals is akin to losing life savings. Investing early saves money as emergency assistance post-drought is more expensive.

FAO interventions helped at-risk herders through: distributing nutritious emergency feed for breeding animals; providing veterinary services to ensure animals remained alive and healthy; rehabilitating water points and installing water tanks; and training government officers on livestock best practices and management of livestock markets.

In Kenya, for example, two more animals per pastoralist family were saved compared to those families who did not receive assistance, and each child under five drank half a liter more milk per day. During the drought, FAO-assisted herds produced three times the normal amount of milk, and animals were healthier. Kenyan herders that did not receive early assistance had to sell double the number of animals, and kill nearly triple the number, both to eat and to reduce the burden of feeding them.

In Somalia, where FAO assisted more than seven million people: over one million animals were treated in the worst hit areas; early interventions saved herders over US$40 million; 80,000 vulnerable mothers and children had enough milk; and a large-scale famine-prevention programme was initiated. In Ethiopia, for every US$1 invested in protecting over 100,000 animals, each family gained US$7 dollars in benefits.

The report describes a number of lessons learned based on FAO’s efforts in the Horn of Africa, including: the need for a flexible financial system; the importance of listening to beneficiaries regarding their needs; the need to work with local partners; and the importance of preserving livestock assets in tandem with encouraging livestock owners to produce and sell animals for the market, and sell early while prices are high. [FAO Press Release] [Publication: Horn of Africa: Impact of Early Warning Early Action: Protecting pastoralist livelihoods ahead of drought]