Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Regional State (SNNPRS)

The SNNPR is found between 4°27’ and 8°31’ north latitude and 34°11’ East longitude bordering Kenya to the south, the Ilemi Triangle to the southwest, Sudan to the west, the Gambela region to the north and the Oromia region to the north and east.

The SNNPR has an estimated total population of 14,901,990, consisting of 7,408,993 males and 7,492,997 females. 13,625,000 or 91.4% of the population are estimated to be rural inhabitants while 1,277,000 or 8.57% are urban (CSA, 2005); making the SNNPR the region with the highest percentage rural population. With an estimated area of 112,343 km2, this region has an estimated population density of 133 people per km2 ranging from 3 persons/ km2 in the Omo zone to 900 persons/ km2 in the Wenago woreda of the Gedeo zone. The population is concentrated mostly in eastern, northern and central part of the SNNPR while the western and southern part of the Region is sparsely populated. Twenty percent of the land area is grazing land while 24% is cultivated land and 13% cultivable land.

Livestock population in the SNNPRS

Source: (CSA, 2005)

ESGPIP’s target woredas

The ESGPIP operated in five woredas in the SNNPRS namely Alaba, western Badewacho, Damot Gale and Kedida Gamela.

Alaba

Alaba is one of the 77 woredas in the SNNPRS. It is located in the Great Rift Valley and borders an exclave of the Hadiya Zone on the south, the Kedida Gamela woreda in the southwest, the Hadiya Zone in the west and north, and the Oromia Region in the east. The Bilate River defines its western boundary.

Alaba woreda has an estimated total population of 270,210, of whom 135,593 were males and 134,617 were females; 30,297 or 11.21% of its population are urban dwellers (CSA, 2005). With an estimated area of 973.76 km², Alaba has an estimated population density of 278 people/ km².

Livestock population in the Alaba Woreda  

Source: IPMS website  

Kedida Gamela

Kedida Gamela is one of the 77 woredas in the SNNPR and part of the Kembata Alaba and Tembaro Zone. Kedida Gamela borders the Hadiya Zone, Kacha Bira woreda, Angacha woreda, the Hadiya Zone in the south, in the southwest, in the west, and in the north, respectively. The Bilate River separates it from the Alaba woreda in the east. The estimated total area of the woreda is 351.25 km².
The woreda has an estimated total population of 202,926 (101,032 males and 101,900 females) 9.91% of the population are urban dwellers. Kedida Gamela has an estimated population density of 577.7 people per square kilometer (CSA, 2005).

Western Badawacho

Western Badawacho forms a triangle-shaped exclave of the Hadiya Zone and borders the Semien Omo Zone in the south, the Kembata Alaba and Tembaro Zone in the west and north and the Bilate River which separates it from the Oromia Region in the east. The woreda has an estimated area of 516.57 Km2.

According to the CSA (2005), the woreda has an estimated total population of 251, 200, of whom 126,706 are male and 124,491 female; 14,911 or 5.94% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 8.1%. The estimated population density is 486 persons per Km2

Damot Gale

Damot Gale is one of the 77 woredas in the SNNPRS. It is part of the Semien Omo Zone, Damot Gale is bordered on the south by Sodo Zuria, on the west by Boloso Sore, on the north by the Hadiya Zone, and on the east by Damot Weyde. The major town in Damot Gale is Boditi.

Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 311,560 (158,016 males and 153,544 females); 24,281 or 7.79% of the population are urban dwellers. With an estimated area of 429 Km2, Damot Gale has a population density of 726 persons Km2.

Doyogena

The wereda has a total area of 17156 ha. Some 10% of the area is plain land while the remaining 90% is mountainous /hilly. Seventy percent of the land area is categorized as Dega while the remaining 30% is weinadega. The total population of the wereda is 113,387 (57,805 female and 55,582 male). The wereda has a total sheep population of 23,973 (11,649 male and 12,324 female). The goat population is smaller due to the agro ecology of the wereda. There are a total of only 6509 goats (2806male and 3703 female).