User:Algunaid

Drought in East africa

The Drought has hit the horn of Africa several times due to the climate changes and other man-made reasons, It was noticed that the un-authorized forest cutting and fires has affected the climate in general and the desertification has crept toward the agricultural lands and most of the Aridlands has changed to semi-deserts. It was advised that re-forestration has to start in affected areas but the Governments almost in the region lacks the budgets for such action although the IGAD has placed funds for eradication of the desertification in the area. It was one of the worst drought waves that the one in 2006 that has severely affected Kenya (Northeastern and parts of Ethiopea and Somalia. When camels die in a drought hitten area, that is an indicator to the seriousness of the disaster. I happened to be in Kenea (Noeth eastern) where I have participated in an assessment carried by UNDP, Arid Land Management Project & Human Appeal International, I have seen that some districts like kitui which is not far from Nairobi has been affected and when we moved to the boarder-line of north east (Tana River) we were astonished to see women roving in the flat semi-desert area looking for water and the remains of the cattles and even wildlife were scattered along the area of about 170 Km2 . As a coordinator of the emergency Program for HAI, in Kenya, I was trying to place effective interventions and at once, where we have managed to start water-tankering for seven villages and as well mobile clinic and foord distribution for the villages for three monthes consecutively. I was thinking at that time whether a global body for drought eradication should be formed to carry out permenant activities to include human behaviour toward the climate changes as recommended in the Global Climate Changes summit, if that issue is only left for the governments (who has no such bledges of funds) the issue will not be overcomed soon. Basic emergency response could only smooth the incident but it will not solve the problem and there should always be early warning body coordinating with the international society operating in the disaster management and control and we then should see the activities on the ground where we can observe in the rural and remote villages. I am just giving an example of what I have seen in Kenya and of course other African Horn countries must have practiced same hardship especially the pastoralists who lost 80% of their animals and the nomads have been affected severely as they depend 100% on the livestock (alternatives should be arranged for nomads to avoid such possible cases of loss and lifestyle change ( Settlement villages to be established to reduce school drop-out among children and start progessing on lifestyle changes for this ctegory.) AlGunaid Mosa Hussein