Famine has come to the Horn of Africa once more, because of the failure of seasonal rains. Once more, because this is an event of depressing regularity. As Mike Pflanz points out in a recent article in the Daily Telegraph:
Urgent appeals for aid to east Africa were made in 2009, 2008 and 2006, and since the efforts of Bob Geldof and friends in 1984, there have been at least 60 major food crises in Africa.
When I lived in Africa I remember at least one severe drought that led to starvation in Northern Kenya, and one other less severe drought, both in the space of four years. But these droughts may be the norm rather than the exception, some scientists believe. So, what is to be done? Well, it might be worthwhile paying a little attention to other drought-afflicted countries, such as Australia, the United States and Israel. That’s right – like Kenya all three have relatively fertile zones, but large arid or semi-arid regions as well. Australia is the driest country on earth; but there are fundamental differences between Australia, let’s say, and the countries of the Horn of Africa, and these explain why drought in Australia has never led to famine. Australia has road and rail links that enable food to be transported from areas of relative abundance to areas of shortage. Australia can import food from abroad, and has the money to do so. Australia has a social welfare system. Australia is politically stable. So, although Australia has severe droughts, these crises never turn into catastrophes. In the Horn of Africa it is different. Most regions have no effective government – Somalia is notorious for this, but the north-east of Kenya is pretty bad too. Many of the worst affected areas are so wracked with violence from warlord-led gangs and the shifta (as local ruffians are called) that this must disrupt the lines of supply. War is always one of the major causes of famine. Many areas are inaccessible, because there are no roads or railways; supplies may be flown in, but local distribution still remains difficult. And then of course, the supplies that are flown in, donated by international charities, may well be stolen and sold in local markets, where they distort the local economy. Giving food intended for the starving, food which may sadly never reach them, is the standard response of the developed world, though success has been patchy to put it mildly. The latest initiative, described by Pflanz, seems much more straightforward and likely of success:
