Berbere (woreda)

Berbere is one of the 180 woredas in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Bale Zone, Berbere is bordered on the south by Mennana Harena Buluk, on the northwest by Goba, on the north by Sinanana Dinsho, on the northeast by Goro, and on the east by Guradamole; the Mena River separates it from Shinanana Dinsho and Goro. The woreda capital is Haro Dumal.

This woreda is characterized by undulating highlands in the north and lowlands inthe south. Mount Wereba is the highest point; other prominent peaks include Mount Siru. Rivers include the Dumale, Doya, Hawas and Hambala, which are tributaries of the Ganale Dorya River. A survey of the land in this woreda shows that 20.5% is arable (4.3% was under cultivation), 36.4% pasture, 41.7% forest or heavy vegetation cover, and the remaining 1.4% is considered swampy, degraded or otherwise unusable. Khat, peppers, fruits and vegetables are important cash crops. [ [http://oromiagov.org/Socio%20Economic%20Profile/Bale/Bale%20Zone.pdf "Socio-economic profile of the Bale Zone"] Government of Oromia Region (last accessed 1 August 2006).] Coffee is also an important cash crop; over 5,000 hectares are planted with it. [ [http://www.oromiacoffeeunion.org/production.htm "Coffee Production"] Oromia Coffee Cooperative Union website]

At the time of the Oromia Regional report, there was no industry in this woreda. There were 12 Farmers Associations with 4491 members but no Farmers Service Cooperatives. As of 1997, a rural road was under construction to connect Berbere with the neighboring Goro woreda. About 3.7% of the total population has access to drinking water. [Government of Oromia Region, "Socio-economic profile."]

Based on figures published by the Central Statistical Agency in 2005, this woreda has an estimated total population of 53,547, of whom 26,696 were males and 26,851 were females; 2,104 or 3.93% of its population are urban dwellers, which is less than the Zone average of 13.5%. With an estimated area of 1,348.28 square kilometers, Berbere has an estimated population density of 39.7 people per square kilometer, which is greater than the Zone average of 27. [ [http://www.csa.gov.et/text_files/2005_national_statistics.htm CSA 2005 National Statistics] , Tables B.3 and B.4]

This woreda was selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2003 as one of several areas for voluntary resettlement for farmers from overpopulated areas. Together with Gaserana Gololcha and Meda Welabu, Berbere became the new home for a total of 5219 heads of households and 19,758 family members. [ [http://www.dppc.gov.et/downloadable/map/Thematic%20maps/resettlement/Resettlement%202003.pdf "Resettlement 2003"] , Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA) (accessed 26 November 2006)]

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