Droughts in Africa - "Why does this keep happening?"

Caritas Australia's CEO, Jack de Groot, reflects on the difficult question of "Why does this keep happening?" in response to the current drought crisis affecting millions in the Horn of Africa.

Today's SMH headline “Suffer Africa’s little children” and accompanying photo was meant to be shocking. In the 10 years I have been with Caritas we have seen similar shocking images; of pleading eyes, of despair and destitution. We saw them earlier this year in Sudan and in Liberia and late last year in the Congo. But even before then we saw these pictures. Back in the early eighties every day the TVs and newspapers had stories of the Eithiopian famine which depicted utter hopelessness.

So is this a hopeless situation? Why does this keep happening? Why are there still people who suffer so deeply? Why does it seem we cannot help them? Solve the problem? Give them hope? Why not today? Or even yesterday?

To begin to answer this we must firstly understand that Africa is a very diverse continent with vastly different cultures, climates and conditions. Africa is the second largest and second most populous continent in the world. It encompasses over a billion people and over 50 independent countries. Some parts of Africa have excellent education and medical systems and are very productive agriculturally. Others experience a vastly different environment with a long list of challenges. Just like in Australia many factors affect productivity; the soil, the skills of the workforce and government policies are just a few.

In some parts of Africa individuals, families and communities are vulnerable. They are vulnerable because if the rains do not come and their food does not grow it affects their ability to meet their basic needs. They have no other form of a livelihood and no security net provided by the state to ensure their basic needs will be met. Caritas and other NGOs have been working in communities to decrease this vulnerability for a long time. There definitely have been successes. We have seen them.

While drought is a predictable event across parts of Africa it is other factors that allow it to escalate into a crisis. These factors include significant changes in weather patterns, food prices and conflict. If we take conflict for example, Africa has borne witness to great political instability over history which has often led to the marginalisation of ethnic groups and further civil unrest. This disrupts local farming production, it decreases the viability of cattle raising and can result in mass migration of communities which then puts pressure on food and water supplies in other regions.

There is a time for quick fixes, for food aid and crisis management and that time is now. But that is only part of the story. This is a story of partnership over the long term; it is a story of how we are assisting Africans to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing their communities. This is a complex and ever changing situation without a simple solution but that does not mean we can turn away from it. We must always remember that each of those photos though seemingly the same tells a different story. Each child has a name. A mother. A father. A hope for the future.
 
 
To show your support and learn more about the East Africa drought crisis, please visit Caritas Australia's East Africa Crisis Appeal webpage >>