Background documents

WUEMED Workshop - Roma, September 29-30, 2005.

Technical report on water scarcity and drought management in the Mediterranean and the Water Framework Directive. Produced by the MEDITERRANEAN WATER SCARCITY & DROUGHT WORKING GROUP (MED WS&D WG) - April 2007 –

The Mediterranean report is based on the EU document produced in June 2006. It has been prepared by the Mediterranean WS&D WG, in the framework of the MED-EU Water Initiative / Water Framework Directive Joint Process.

The document is a technical report which consists of five parts. The introduction presents the situation of water scarcity and drought in the Mediterranean region and the linkages between the WFD and Water scarcity. In chapter I, the definitions and assessments of the different phenomena are described. Chapter II reports on planning and management of drought events. Chapter III deals with long-term imbalances in supply and demand. The conclusions and recommendations are presented in Chapter IV.

The main objective of this report is to present the Mediterranean specificities regarding water scarcity situations and droughts events and the role of the WFD. Examples of strategies and measures taken in the Mediterranean region for addressing WS&D illustrate the different sections of the reports. In addition, the specificities of the WFD implementation related to WS&D are identified for non-EU countries.

Mise en place en Slovénie, du Centre de Gestion de la Sécheresse de l'Europe du Sud-est.

Syria has been affected by drought since 2006. While the 2007-2008 drought was very severe and had a wider geographical reach, the current drought has again affected a population that was already suffering from the impacts of previous drought spells. According to the Government of Syria and UN assessment missions, some 1.3 million inhabitants of eastern Syria have been affected by this disaster, out of which 803,000 have lost almost all of their livelihoods and face extreme hardship. According to the UN Needs Assessment Mission, up to 80% of those severely affected live on a diet consisting of bread and sugared tea, which only covers on average some 50% of both caloric and protein requirements. These families are not able to sustain or restore their livelihood without emergency support including food aid, farming inputs, and animal feeds, supplemented by other types of assistance.

One of the most visible effects of the drought is a dramatic increase in the already substantial migration out of the affected areas during the last year, due to loss of livelihoods and lack of income to buy food. Migration figures range from 40,000 – 60,000 families. 36,000 families have reportedly migrated from Hassakeh Governorate alone. This dramatic move often does not save the families from destitution: even in the areas where they have temporarily settled, migrants still face hardship and poverty. Communities inhabiting the drought-affected areas suffer from an acute shortage of water as many wells and rivers have dried up. Poor nutrition, heat, and dust storms have a detrimental effect on their health status. Very high levels of school drop-outs have been registered in the area, as children have migrated with their families or are required to contribute to the family income by working.

The Government and the United Nations believe that a combination of actions – food and agriculture assistance, supplemented by water and health interventions, and measures aimed at increasing drought resilience – is required to allow affected populations to remain in their villages and re-start agriculture production in October 2009. Assistance will have to continue until mid-2010, by when new crops should help to improve food security. The Syria Drought Response Plan (SDRP) has thus been developed with the aim of supplementing and enhancing the assistance already put in place by the Syrian Government. All projects have been developed and will be implemented in close coordination with the concerned authorities and targeted communities. Due to a small number of international NGOs working in Syria, the projects included in the SDRP have been presented by UN agencies, International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Qatari Red Crescent Society, which implements its activities through the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. The Response Plan does not cover all needs of the most severely affected population, which receives assistance also from the Government, but focuses on the needs of 38,000 households (some 300,000 people) considered the most vulnerable.

Through the SDRP, seven agencies seek a total of $52,938,616 to work with Governmental partners and targeted communities in addressing emergency humanitarian needs and mitigating further impacts of the drought of some 300,000 of the most vulnerable from the 1.3 million persons affected by the drought. Food, agriculture and livelihoods, including measures aimed at improving drought resilience, amount to 98% of the total requirements. Due to the timing of the agriculture season, with crops expected only in May-June 2010, this Response Plan has been prepared for a period of 12 months (August 2009 – July 2010).

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Table I: Summary of Requirements (grouped by sector)

Table II: Summary of Requirements (grouped by appealing organisation)

Table III: Summary of Requirements (grouped by priority)

2. CONTEXT AND NEEDS ANALYSIS

2.1 CONTEXT

2.1.1 Population in need

2.1.2 Response to-date by the Government of Syria and the United Nations

2.2 HUMANITARIAN NEEDS ANALYSIS

2.2.1 Household food security and nutrition

2.2.2 Education

2.2.3 Water and sanitation

2.2.4 Health

2.2.5 Agriculture and livelihoods

3. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

4. PROJECT PRIORITIZATION CRITERIA AND TIME-CRITICAL FUNDING REQUESTS

5. COORDINATION ARRANGEMENTS

6. RESPONSE PLANS

6.1 FOOD

6.2 WATER AND SANITATION

6.3 HEALTH AND NUTRITION

6.4 EDUCATION

6.5 AGRICULTURE AND LIVELIHOODS

7. STRATEGIC MONITORING MATRIX

ANNEX I. LETTERS RELATED TO THE DROUGHT AND SDRP FROM THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRARIAN REFORM, AND FROM THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE GENERAL COMMISSION FOR BADIA DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT

ANNEX II. FULL PROJECT LIST AND FUNDING TABLES

Table IV: List of Projects (grouped by sector)

Table V: List of Projects (grouped by appealing organisation)

Table VI: Summary of Requirements (grouped by IASC standard sector)

ANNEX III. ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS