|
Shabel Firuz, Islamic Relief’s Head of Africa, is overseeing our response to the worst drought to hit East Africa for 60 years. Shabel explains some of the reasons why the region finds itself in such a serious crisis once again after so many previous droughts and appeals for aid
Things have reached crisis point again in East Africa for four main reasons:
1. Better early warning systems but little improvement in early intervention by aid donors
Through closely monitoring key indicators such as malnutrition rates and agricultural outputs, we and other aid agencies are better able to spot the warning signs of an impending crisis early and call for effective international intervention. As early as March we were picking up cause for serious concern about the current crisis and communicating that concern to our potential donors and funders. Unfortunately it remains as difficult as it was a quarter of a century ago to secure early funding to prevent a full-blown crisis developing. It is only when the TV news features pictures of severely malnourished children that the international donor response fully swings into action.
2. Because of conflicts in the region, there are complex political and security issues that have made things even more challenging than they were in the days of Live Aid in the 1980s
For generations pastoralists have proved themselves resilient in the face of drought by moving with their livestock over long distances to where there they can find better grazing and alternative water sources. In the past there has been very free crossing of borders between Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia but this is much more difficult in the current political context.
3. Food prices have more than doubled in some parts of East Africa in recent months, and this is an added challenge that has exacerbated this particular crisis
The price increases are due to a range of factors which are largely beyond the control of the countries affected, including very high oil prices, speculation in food commodities on the international markets and the unprecedented pressure on productive agricultural land globally created by the march of biofuels.
4. Climate change is making the incidence of 'natural' disasters more frequent and severe
This is East Africa's worst drought in 60 years - more severe than what was experienced in the mid-80s or at any time since. Meanwhile last year's Pakistan floods were the most severe ever experienced, affecting an unprecedented 18 million people. It's not that nothing has been done to make people more resilient. Cyclone shelters in Bangladesh have cut the death toll in major cyclones by tens of thousands. The areas of Pakistan that proved most resilient in last year's floods included locations also affected by the Kashmir earthquake, where reconstruction efforts and preparation for future shocks made people and authorities better prepared. The Kenyan government has invested significantly in helping people become more resilient in the face of climate change - through irrigation, livestock vaccination and the development and use of drought-resistant crops, for example. But the fact is that much more needs to be spent because the climate challenges are becoming bigger.
To find out more about our East Africa Appeal, please click here |