Seasonal Assessment Training The Reference Year and Seasonal Calendars Livelihoods Integration Unit (LIU) Early Warning & Response Department Disaster Management & Food Security Sector Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA: DISASTER MANAGEMENT & FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, MOARD

What is a Reference Year? A reference year provides the starting point for HEA outcome analysis. GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA: DISASTER MANAGEMENT & FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, MOARD

How is a Reference Year Used? This gives a base-year for us to calculate changes in access to food and cash income from year to year. All data in the HEA baseline are linked to the reference year. GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA: DISASTER MANAGEMENT & FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, MOARD

Choosing a Reference Year The simplest in terms of the field work is either last year or the year before (i.e. a specific recent year) …provided it was not an exceptionally good year …or an exceptionally bad year. …or a year with a lot of conflict Otherwise take the most recent year that can be considered typical or at least not extreme So far in SNNPR, Tigray and Amhara Regions, the teams have chosen the last year as the reference year GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA: DISASTER MANAGEMENT & FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, MOARD

Setting up the Reference Year In HEA the reference year starts at the end of the annual ‘hungry season’, or at the beginning of the consumption year. For crop-dependent areas this means the start of the main harvest For pastoralists this means the start of the main rains GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA: DISASTER MANAGEMENT & FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, MOARD

What is a Seasonal Calendar? A graphic representation of key production, market-related and other activities as they occur throughout the year Seasonal Calendars are: GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA: DISASTER MANAGEMENT & FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, MOARD

Why do we need Seasonal Calendars?  help analysts see how different activities affect each other  highlight moments when there are competitive demands for labour, resources, etc.  provide info. for monitoring and response They: GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA: DISASTER MANAGEMENT & FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, MOARD

Why do we need seasonal calendars? To understand when different sources of food are available Example taken from South Omo Crop LZ, SNNPR GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA: DISASTER MANAGEMENT & FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, MOARD

To understand when different sources of income are available Example taken from South Omo Crop LZ, SNNPR Why do we need seasonal calendars? GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA: DISASTER MANAGEMENT & FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, MOARD

crops To understand when different crops are planted and harvested Example taken from South Omo Crop LZ, SNNPR Why do we need seasonal calendars? GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA: DISASTER MANAGEMENT & FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, MOARD

prices To understand when prices normally peak Example taken from South Omo Crop LZ, SNNPR Why do we need seasonal calendars? GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA: DISASTER MANAGEMENT & FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, MOARD

competition To understand potential areas of competition between activities Example taken from South Omo Crop LZ, SNNPR Why do we need seasonal calendars? GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA: DISASTER MANAGEMENT & FOOD SECURITY SECTOR, MOARD