ODO SHAKISO WOREDA (BORENA ZONE) - PFEDA / Page d ...

4. Discussion on Context
4.1 Food Security Situation
The Woreda is well known for its rich alluvial gold deposits and mining (traditional as
well as commercial) attracts a number of fortune seekers (including other service
providers) from neighbouring districts and regions. Therefore, the majority of the
population appear to be unstable and ever moving looking for new and promising
sites for mining and those who do not mine move with the miners to provide the
necessary services like catering, provision of gold-washing water (that is very
scarce), equipment, etc.
Mining itself requires a lot of soil moisture and a great volume of water for washing
the clay off the gold powder. The current drought, therefore, affects not only
agriculture and livestock but mining and the forestry too.
The attractive forestry and the wildlife are also in great threats in these non-restricted
movements and clearing of forests.
The local subsistence farmers also spend a great deal of their time in this very
tedious endeavour. In this context, the lucky ones who get some grams of gold would
flourish whilst those who do not get turn to their homestead. The worst happens
when the backyard crop fails and the cattle starve to death due to drought like that is
in-place now.
4.2 Malnutrition Level and Related Stresses
Odo Shakiso Woreda has recorded one of the highest levels of PEM when compared
with some national and such pocket surveys. The comparative results of some of
these nutritional surveys are summarised in Appendix I.
The 1983 and 1992 national surveys found 8.1% and 8.0% of wasting, respectively.
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