Evaluation of the Enhanced Livelihoods in Mandera Triangle and Southern Ethiopia 2007–2009

The Enhanced Livelihoods in Mandera Triangle (ELMT) Program operates through a Cooperative Agreement (for which $10 million was allocated) which was signed between CARE South Sudan/Somalia (SSS) as the lead agency of a Consortium of six international NGO partners1 and USAID on 31 August 2007. The ELMT is the field “operational” component of the East Africa Regional Enhanced Livelihoods in Pastoral Areas (RELPA) funded by USAID which aims to support an effective transition from emergency relief to the promotion of long-term economic development in pastoral areas bordering Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia in the Horn of Africa region. Other components include: (i) support to the COMESA2 Secretariat supporting the Pastoral Areas Policy Engagement process; (ii) the Pastoral Areas Coordination, Analysis and Policy Support (PACAPS) to facilitate coordination and policy analysis on key pastoral issues; (iii) Regional Conflict Prevention and Mitigation (RCPM); and (iv) emergency response and relief through the Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA).
The ELMT is also known as Enhanced Livelihoods in Southern Ethiopia (ELSE) and is hereafter referred to in this report as ELMT/ELSE. The program aims to increase the self-reliance and resiliency of the population through improved livelihoods in drought prone pastoral areas affecting the Somali and Oromo clans (referred to in the program document as the Mandera Triangle). The program specifically supports results to: (i) protect livestock-based livelihoods in emergencies; (ii) enhance livelihoods through improved livestock production, health and marketing; (iii) enhance natural resource management; (iv) strengthen alternative livelihood strategies; (v) strengthen capacity of customary institutions in peace building, civil governance and conflict mitigation; and (vi) strengthen the pastoralist area “voice” in dryland policy formulation and implementation. ELMT/ELSE adopted a strategy to deliver by consolidating the evidence base (generated by the six INGOs and their partners - including customary institutions - at field level), scaling up best practice from the evidence base, and drawing upon this best practice to contribute to policy initiatives.