Food crisis

What could be worse than 2.5 million people in northern Kenya facing acute food shortages? Weakened by hunger, children are dying due to diarrhoea and malnutrition. Cattle and livestock have also fallen victims to the drought and dwindled the economic lifelines of many people. Even though there has been a bumper harvest in western Kenya, but poor governance systems have failed to convince the people to distribute their share of production to the famine stricken population. An exodus has already begun, but how far can these people with sunken cheeks and shrivelled legs walk in search for rain and water? What could be a solution? Irrigation? Rain water harvesting? Drought resistant agriculture? Food supply from the richer nations?

It is all of those. Irrigation is of fundamental importance, which is why the green revolution that helped eliminate famine in India, has so far been a failure in Africa. According to the report by Director-General of United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, Jacques Diouf, only 7% of the arable land in Africa is under irrigation, and over 50% of the sub-Saharan and 50% of the African population are suffering from hunger.

Scientists say that millions more could be starving by 2015 if enough research is not done on agriculture. Each dollar invested in argicultural research improves farm incomes by $6 and produces additional $15 of economic growth in the society as a whole. Therefore, not only is agricultural research necessary for eliminating hunger and poverty, but it is even more important for a healthy economy. According to Indian PM, Dr. Manmohan Singh, the second green revolution should be all about agriculture in drought prone areas, and catering to the needs of small and marginal farmers. His targets include watershed development, ground water replenishment, inter-linking of rivers, use of science for improvement in seeds, resilience to lack of water, productive livestock and poultry, soil enhancement, improved opportunities for marketing of produce, granting credit to farmers, and mechanization of harvesting and post-harvest grain processing.

Updates as of Feb 23rd, 2006: The crisis looks worst than ever. The UN says that there is no time now to make pledges of aid, but to send aid in the next couple of weeks. The crisis will not take time in turning into a disaster and then into a catastrophe.