The drought in East Africa is a very severe humanitarian crisis. However, it highlights the underlying problems that people face in developing countries. Preventive measures are needed.
It was well known that the failing rains would affect farmers and communities. Yet governments did nothing to protect them. As a result, their lives are being devastated along with the well-being of the country.
The plans that were made to protect them, were not good enough. Harvests have failed and the number of livestock has fallen.
This food crisis was not inevitable and solutions exist to ensure that this type of crisis is avoided in the future. It should be a wake up call to other governments.
Governments and other organizations need to plan for the future now. This includes investing in small scale food producers, protecting land rights, and providing farmers with the support they need to cope with the changing climate. Communities need to have a say in these types of decisions, which strongly affect them.
"It is not a coincidence that the worst affected by this crisis are those who have been most neglected. In a world with enough to eat there is no good reason why anyone should go hungry."
-Gabrielle Gurian
SOURCE: OXFAM
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