SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE OF TULO DISTRICT

Physical Characteristics:- Having an area of 450 km2, Tulo district is found in the north eastern part of West Hararege Administrative Zone. It is borderd by East Harerge Administrative Zone, and Mesela, Chiro and doba districts (fig.11.). Hirna town is its administrative seat. Topographically the district is characterized by diversified landforms, i.e., highlands, lowlands and valleys. Altitudinally, its stretches between 1100 and 2700 m.a.s.al. Hirna, Burka, Dabaso and Burka Recha rivers are flowing through the district. They have the potentials to irrigate about 1334 hectars of land. Until 1997, only about 46.4% of the total irrigable land were irrigated. Climatically, the district is classified into dega (43.3%) and woinadega (56.7%) zones. The most commonly available soil types are Chromic Luvisols and Rendiinas. Juniperus, podocarpus, and man made forests are available in the district. Kara Farsho and Gara Nugus and reserved forest areas. In these reserved forest areas and other parts of the district, Menelik bushbuck, leopard, warthog and birds of different species are available in the absence of wildlife conservation area. Population:- The district had about 123,100 population, of which 111,052 were rural (56,958 males) and 12054 were urban (5920 males) populations. Young, economically active and old age populations accounted for 45.9%, 50.8% and 3.3% respectively. An average family size for the rural area was 4.8 persons. The crude population density of the district is estimated at 274 persons per km2. It is the most densely populated district from the zone.

Agriculture:-          In the year under investigation, an estimated cultivated, pasture, forest, and shrub and bush lands accounted for 57.3% (6.3% was under perennial crops), 5.9%, 2.6% and 5.0% of the district’s total area respectively, while barren, built-up and other areas accounted for the remaining percentage. In the indicated year, 23 Farmers’ Associations and 3 Service Cooperatives with 11,112 (482 females) and 8,326 (319 females) member farmers respectively were found in the district. Average farmland and farm oxen holding sizes per farmer household were 1.02 ha and 0.70 ox. About 36.1% of the farmers were without farm ox. Sorghum, haricot bean, barley, maize, teff horse bean and wheat are the most widely cultivated crops in the district. Major crop pests are stalk borer, aphids, weevils, rodents and shoot fly. Application of manure, fertilizers, short fallowing, crop rotation and inter-cropping methods are employed to maintain soil fertility. About 662 quintals of fertilizers (Urea was 331 quintals), 84 quintals of improved seeds, and 38 litters and 1.2 kg pesticides have been utilized by about 2.0%, 0.6% and 0.2% of the total farmers respectively. There were 47,973 cattle, 4,231 sheep, 6,708 goats, 2,739 equines, 34,062 poultry and 2,540 traditional beehives in the district. Anthrax, blackleg, pasteurelosis, sheep pox, and internal and external parasites are commonly prevalent livestock diseases. About 33411 (16611 cattle) and 6179 (4985 cattle) livestock were vaccinated and treated against different diseases respectively.

Mining and Industry:-       Gold, cobalt, lead, silica sand and graphite mineral deposits are available in Tulo district. But there was no mining activity of any type of mineral. Regarding industry, 32 grain mills and a metal work were available in the indicated year. Trade and Tourism:- There were 315 registered business organizations (wholesalers, retailers and service renders) in the district. Coffee, chat and vegetables are the major local cash crops. In the year understudy, about 947.155 tons of coffee were supplied to the central market from the district. Income generating tourist attraction sites were not available. But the district has fascinating natural landscapes, and cultural and historical sites for the development of tourist industry.

Services:-              The district had about 52 km all weather and 24 km dry weather roads transport linkages with all districts’ capitals of the zone, two telephone stations and a regular post office. The major source of drinking water is spring, followed by pond and river. About 30% of the total population was depending on protected springs for their domestic consumption. Agri-Wastes, firewood, animals dung, kerosene an Charcoal are the major sources of domestic energy supply in order of their usage. Hydro electric light services and two fuel stations were also available in the district. There were 24 elementary, 2 junior and one senior secondary high school with 15,248 registered students (4,227 females) and 318 teaching staffs (92 females) in the district. In the mentioned academic year, dropped out students accounted for about 11.4% of the total registered students. Students’ participation rate in primary school was 28%. In the year indicated, one health center and 5 clinics with a doctor, 4 nurses, and one lab. Technician and 16 health assistants, and one veterinary clinic with 7 veterinary personnel as well as one Commercial Bank were available in the district.

Development Activities:- The constructions of one health center, two DA houses and one animal health laboratory were some of the major governmental and non-governmental ongoing development projects in the district.

Problems and Potentials:- Deforestation, widely prevalent livestock diseases and crop pests, shortage and delay in the supply of modern agricultural inputs, poor agricultural extension services, backward infrastructure facilities, shortage of schools, health institutions, veterinary services, farmland, farm oxen and potable water supply as ell as unreliable occurrence of rainfall are some of the major problems in the district. On the other hand, the district has large potentials of irrigable land and water resources as well as favourable natural conditions for the production of coffee and livestock rearing.