This book is available online

The primarily objective of the UNDP-EUE mission was to familiarise with the particularities of the zone and contact and introduce myself to important governmental institutions, NGOs and other humanitarian and development organisations operating in Hararghe Zone of Oromyia Region. Besides picking up general overviews of activities performed by the various humanitarian and development organisations and institutions, special attention was paid to two specific issues of particular interest: chat and coffee, the two major cash crops grown in parts of the Hararghe highlands and exported to neighbouring countries, and the food security situation in drought affected lowland areas of East Hararghe. General overview Hararghe is situated in the eastern part of Ethiopia, bordering Somali Region as well as the urban administrative regions of Dire Dawa and Harari. In the sub-regional context of Djibouti, Northwest Somalia, and East Ethiopia, the highland area of Hararghe is the only place where climatic conditions allow rainfed agriculture. Hararghe comprises of three agroclimatic belts. Lowlands, the kolla, ~35% of the area, midlands, the weyna dega, ~40% and highlands, the dega, ~25%. There are two rainy seasons, the small belg and the main meher. Belg production is limited within the dega belt and part of the wetter weyna dega. Belg rains are widely used for land preparation for long-cycle meher crop production. The yearly rainfall variability and its frequently uneven distribution result in a wide range of climatic hazards farmers have to deal with. While at lower altitudes crop cultivation is usually rather limited leading to a more livestockbased economy, at higher altitudes the economy is characterised by both food and cash crops. Main staple food include sorghum and maize, as well as sweet potatoes cultivated during difficult years to improve food security. A good part of Hararghe Zone enjoys a privileged position for production and marketing of cash crops such as chat, a popular mild narcotic, with the trading potential still exceeding the actual production capacity. Besides chat, coffee, Irish potatoes and onions are produced for cash. These cash crops are mainly cultivated in the weyna dega and the lower dega and for chat exceptionally also in the kolla. The cash crop chat witnessed a tremendous boom over the last couple of years, followed by Irish potatoes, onion/shallots and some other vegetables. Coffee generally marked a downward trend except for some areas in West Hararghe. In the eastern lowlands of Babile, Gursum and to some extent the southern lowlands of Fedis groundnuts are cultivated as a cash crop. Hence, while most of the actual farming systems are still characterised by a strong subsistence component, the trend is towards more cash crop production which may soon Hararghe Mission: April 1999 2 bring the majority of Hararghe farmers to the cross-roads between subsistence and cash economy. The vast majority of the rural population is living from agriculture, with some pastoralists and agropastoralists in the lowlands. Increasing population density coupled with the lack of alternative employment opportunities leads to progressive land pressure and subsequent shrinking of individual landholdings or migration and utilisation of marginal lowland areas for agriculture. Climatic hazards are increasingly frequent, with pest infestations and crop diseases additionally hampering crop production. Coupled with high land pressure, the margin for farmers’ agroeconomic decisions is progressively narrowing. The shift to an increased and intensified chat production is one of the farmers’ response to face some of the constraints. But those areas, especially the lowland pastoralist and agropastoralist areas, where agricultural substitutes such as chat cannot make up for prevailing constraints, are increasingly suffering from food insecurity.

Harar Harrar is these things, and Harrar is much, much more. The city is set high on the southern ridges of the Eastern Escarpment, overlooking the wild bush of valleys draining into Webi Shebeli country. Harrar is remarkable for climute alone, as its dry air, almost cont in uous sunshine, and pleasantly monotonous average temperature of 71.5 degrees F. lure the visitor with a sense of well-being unmatched elsewhere.

A page from marrriage records of Hararies from the year 1875/ 1877. The record lists the bride and bridegrooms names, and witnesess. The file contains 524 records, among which 494 are marriage ,and the remaining 30 are divorce cases. Dowery/ Meheri types are indicated in each situation. Cash, farming land with types of vegetation are some of meheris listed in the document.