We can make famine history
IT IS easy to be discouraged by the news of another devastating famine in the Horn of Africa, and to think that famine in Africa will recur regardless of our efforts. But as we mark World Food Day on Sunday, it is important to realise that this is not necessarily the case.
African farmers, the majority of whom are women, can be skilled in disaster prevention. They can have access to better quality seeds, they can be trained in farming techniques that combat the effects of climate change, and they can be protected by safety- net programmes when harvests fail.
Many of these schemes are already in place in Ethiopia, Kenya and, to a much lesser extent, Somalia. And while the image we have of these countries is of mass starvation, the reality is more nuanced. Some communities in this region have faced similar weather conditions but have not required food aid. Why?
They will have received food or cash for their work through safety-net programmes. They will have used drought-resistant seeds or farming practices that help to retain soil moisture and soil fertility. They will have kept their crops and animals alive through simple irrigation schemes, or have diversified to more nutritious or drought-resilient crops. They will have used the income from these activities to counteract the alarming spike in food prices. In communities that have coped best, it will be a combination of these.
These examples are not limited to the Horn of Africa. In Malawi, farmers have improved their maize yields through intercropping with nitrogen-fixing trees and plants. I met many of these farmers on my recent visit to the country, and saw how their crops are more resilient to dry spells because of these new practices. In Lesotho, farmers complement their staple crop with raised vegetable gardens designed to survive harsh and unpredictable conditions.
These communities offer the most compelling counter-argument to those who portray the African people as passive recipients of our aid. African farmers work harder and longer to feed their families than most of us can imagine. And we cannot begin to understand the devastation of watching an entire year’s work decimated because the rains came too late, too soon, too heavy or not at all. The innovations required to protect harvests from unpredictable weather are actually quite simple. Unfortunately, most farmers cannot afford the seeds or risk the changed practices necessary to “climate-proof” their farm.
This is where our support can be life-changing.
The Irish Government, through our aid programme, Irish Aid, has been working with African farmers for decades, through our embassies in Africa and also working with NGOs and other agencies, to help build their resilience to such weather events. This support has worked. There are many encouraging stories across countries such as Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania and Lesotho, which prove that with a little help, farmers and their families can cope with the severest conditions.
Our challenge now is to ensure that this type of support is incorporated into national well co-ordinated government schemes, which can reach across entire countries and indeed the African continent.
This is why Ireland is working with both civil society and African governments to ensure proper national frameworks for action are in place, and are implemented. We strongly support the CAADP (Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme). More recently, we have helped launch the Scaling Up Nutrition framework — an initiative designed to ensure all development sectors, including agriculture, are designed with the aim of improving maternal and infant nutrition.
I feel privileged to lead Ireland’s work on this, and I remain conscious at all times, that our development programme is only possible because the majority of Irish people support it. A recent OECD survey rates our programme as one of the highest in terms of its effectiveness. The Irish people, who own our aid programme, can be proud of its achievements.
So as you read about the unfolding tragedy in Somalia, Ethiopia or Kenya, do not forget that solutions are possible. They may not be quick or easy, but they are possible. With the continued work of Irish Aid, African governments and farmers, civil society organisations, and the generous support of the Irish people, we can make famine history.
* Jan O’Sullivan is the minister of state with responsibility for trade and development
