Starvation in Africa has been an ongoing struggle that most, if not all, people are aware of. However, at some point the problem has been reduced, in the minds of people, to a mere fact. This is unsettling because for every problem, people work to find solutions, whereas facts stand alone.
Drought is the primary cause of hunger in Africa. The lack of necessary rain has severely impacted agriculture, killing the primary food source for a number of people in the area. In addition, the costly price of cereal has left some of the impoverished to eat seeds in order to stay alive.
The lack of crops then threatens livestock, further obstructing the availability of food. Some pastoralists attempt to relocate their cattle or goat into other areas, however, many of the animals die of either starvation or thirst.
Because there has not been enough rain, there is a drastic shortage of water. Rivers have dried up, so people have nowhere to wash themselves or wells to get water from. In the worst regions of Somalia, there is a water ration of only three cups of water a day per person to be used for both consumption and hygiene.
People migrate in search of food and water, finding that many villages are in the same predicament. When people do find places with some resources, the increase in inhabitants quickly depletes supplies.
Desperation has led to an increase in violence. Starved, people attack and raid villages in order to feed their families. Once the attacked villagers themselves become desperate, they then attack other villages in order to survive.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, crops and livestock are also threatened by locust infestations and diseases. The severely malnourished are more vulnerable to contracting diseases, and their bodies are not equipped to fight off the infection.
Inadequate food and water supply also contribute to high infant mortality and maternal death rates. It is estimated that 3,500 children die daily of malnourishment and diseases that their weakened bodies are incapable of battling.
The most affected area is the “Horn of Africa” which is composed of seven countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda. The FAO estimates that more than 8 million people in this region alone are in need of emergency assistance.
The organization refers to the starving as those who suffer from “food insecurity,” a term that I feel is insulting. Such diction persuades the thoughts of the masses to be more inclined to feel that the agony of these people is being greatly lessened.
The people of Africa have been dying of starvation for so long that I honestly can not remember a time in my life when there wasn’t people starving and suffering in Africa.
We have been asked to make donations, make a difference and were beckoned by specials such as “Feed the Children” to do so.
We cannot allow the struggle of these people to be a simple fact. We must remember that it is a problem and to every problem there is an effort to find a solution.
The only thing left to say is be a part of that effort. If the roles were reversed, we would hope dearly that others would do the same.
Sarah Al-Mullah is a junior journalism major and a weekly columnist for the Daily Forty-Niner.
