10 month old-child, suffering from malnutrition in 2005 food crisis in Niger
Radhika Chalasani/Unicef via Getty Images
Crisis looms for many African nations, as increasing food shortages seem inevitable. Africa's poorest will again pay for the failure to eliminate the crisis at its very core, as a new report, Beyond any Drought, warns of future food crises in Africa's poorest nations. The report was issued by the Sahel Working Group, which is composed of aid organizations, and the International Institute for Environment and Development, addresses that the root causes and issues are not being addressed, and that if they are continued to be dismissed the food crisis's will not only continue, but worsen.
“People blame locusts, drought and high food prices for the crisis that affected more than 3 million people in Niger in 2005,” says Vanessa Rubin, Africa Hunger Advisor for CARE International UK, and author of a briefing paper that accompanies the report. “But these were just triggers. The real cause of the problem was that people there are chronically vulnerable. Two years later, they still are.”(IIED)
A food crisis is unfortunately not a new concept in the Sahel region of Africa, nor is the delayed reaction by the international community to interview before a crisis is allowed to develop. Children in the nomadic communities are effected the most as food and water sources are also in crisis for the animals, which are the communities only supply of food and income. Many of the problems stem from the marginalization of woman and the weakening traditional nomadic system, which are not always addressed, or supported, by aid organizations or governments.
With a food crisis, children are the hardest hit, including malnutrition, disease and often death. A food shortage or famine, most often occurs from internal conflict or natural disasters.
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (Fewsnet) had said the food security outlook for 2007 in the Sahel region in 2007 was good, and that they foresaw the harvests production rates to be average or higher. “Nevertheless, areas of Niger and eastern Chad and southern Chad still face localized food insecurity, it said. In addition, while persistently high rates of acute malnutrition – rooted in poor care practices, poor water and sanitation, a lack of dietary diversity and inadequate healthcare – are likely to improve in the post-harvest period, high rates will reemerge later in 2007.” (Reuters)
The African nations that will be hit the hardest by the pending food crisis, are Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, all of which where effected by the sever food crisis in 2005.
In Burkina Faso it is estimated that some areas are experiencing acute malnutrition, emaciation, for close to 23% of children under five. The World Health Organization states the 10% acute malnutrition is a "serious nutrition situation". Additionally the countries Director of Nutrition at the Ministry of Health, said: "There is neither a food crisis nor a nutritional crisis in Burkina Faso." He did agree there is a "problem", but said it is not the Ministry of Health's responsibility to respond to it. (Government could do more to tackle malnutrition, say aid workers)
Niger faced a food crisis in 2005, that effected over 3.3 million people, an estimated 800,000 of which where children, now some warn that the 2007 crisis will be even worse. The crisis in in 2005 was heightened by the slow response of the international community. Then UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan attempted to draw attention to the situation in the months following, however donors for the appeal fail incredibly short, Nigeria was the worst effected country of the 2005 West African Food Crisis.
Mali's situation almost mirrors that of neighboring Niger, as drought and swarms of locust have seriously depleted food supplies. The country, as Niger, relies mostly on cereal crops for food sources, and the countries live stock is also suffering malnutrition and death, thus continuing to increase its effect on more than 1.5 million people.
Chad, which is primarily effected by food crisis in the eastern region of the country, has been greatly effected by the armed conflict, and a lack of security. Issues of food insecurity is also present in some areas which are untouched by the conflict, factors such as flooding have caused loss of crops.
A food crisis means more than just potential malnutrition, starvation and death, a food crisis can also increase disease and enhance illness for those already suffering, including those with HIV/AIDS. A food crisis can spin off into other economic and social crisis's or collapse, including; lowering GDP, increasing the number of orphans, raising the level of unemployment, strain health care systems, and intensify civil or political unrest.
Other African nations currently experiencing drought and food crisis issues:
Earlier this year, in February, floods swept across the region, threatening the already precarious existence of tens of thousands of people in Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Drought has recently swept across southern Africa, causing the devastation of crops, the World Food Program (WFP) has warned that “almost five million people will face food shortages by the first quarter of 2008: 4 million in Zimbabwe, where economic crisis is exacerbating the situation, and 400,000 each in Lesotho and Swaziland.”Lesotho is now coming off the severest drought in 30 years, and has now declared a state of emergency and is appealing for international assistance. There is currently over 400,000 people in need of urgent food aid, and according to reports from World Food Program (WFP) reports, that the maize harvest, the counties main source of food, is now more than 40% lower. (IRIN)
Somalia's sever drought, felt hardest in the northeastern self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, has caused water and food shortages. The drought has caused many families to leave in search of food and water, as both fishing and livestock, the areas main source of nourishment and income, are no longer available. The local administration has appealed to the international community for intervention, before the situation worsens. (IRIN)
Ethiopia is probably the most well known country in westerners eyes for famine, as the country has been struggling heavily since the early 1970s, when the countries population doubled, creating over farming of already stressed lands. Sporadic rains, drought and deforestation continue to compile the countries food shortages.
South Sudan's current food insecurity has currently been effecting an estimated 1,000,000 people, which looks to rise to 1 million, and if the condition worsens could near double. (June to August 2007 Food Security Outlook)
Over 200 million people in Africa are going hungry, the children suffering the most, as it is estimated that over 1/3 of children's growth has been stunted due to poverty. Each year over 28%, around 3 million, of African deaths are hunger related, and the number of malnourished children are continuing to increasing(African Hunger). No where else in the world is the issue of poverty at such a level as that of Africa, and only in Africa is the rate of child malnutrition on the rise. Unfortunately food and monetary aid are not enough to curb the effects of the food crisis on its own, the support of the national and local governments are also needed. As it stands the cycle of poverty continues and as an international community we must look at the root causes of poverty must be tackled in order to end the vicious cycle of hunger that continues to plague Africa's children. Armed conflict, climate change, urbanization, HIV/AIDS, drought, floods, increasing cost of grains, etc., are all contributers to the food crisis's covering Africa, and if we do not look to these issues, the children of Africa will never be able to live a life with out fear of starvation and disease.
“History will repeat itself unless governments in the Sahel and donor agencies adopt an entirely new strategy for the region,” says Camilla Toulmin, director of IIED. “This needs to build on the knowledge, skills and priorities of local people, strengthening local rights to land, soils and water, and giving people a voice in how decisions are made. Building local resilience is key to reducing vulnerability.”
Some of the Organizations Working on the Current Crisis:
Oxfam
Care
Trocaire
Concern
Red Cross
Links:
The State Food Insecurity in the World
FEWS Nigeria Food Security Update Jan 2007 – Bumper harvest leaves markets supplied, prices low
The food situation in the Sahel: Is a second consecutive food crisis in Niger likely? What is the situation for the other Sahelian and West African countries?
The Food Crisis: Governing Principles for the Regional Food Security Surveillance System in the Sahel
International Food Policy Research Institute
International Institute for Environment and Development
