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Trevor Lee

Mrs. Barton

World Literature/Writing

19 April 2017

The Famines in Africa

After wars, droughts, and poor organization, many African countries and their citizens are

in dire need of help to stave off starvation, and possibly death. The struggle for food has been

going on for decades, and recent weather forecasts are not helping the situation. West Africa

especially is in dire need of help, from food, to farming techniques, to money for relief funds.

One infamous famine was in 2011 when the Horn of Africa was already recovering from

a famine only five years prior, severe droughts in the area resulted in a failed harvest, and

massive casualties to the populations of Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Ultimately, tens of

thousands people died as a direct result of the famine, and millions were affected with

malnutrition due to the lack of food (http://www.harvesthelp.org.uk). Many people were also left

without livestock, or a way to make their living. Some of these people were forced to flee to

neighboring countries due to their condition (Oxfam International). Both of these sources concur

on the fact that there was significant suffering during this time period, and a combination of

fortunate rainfall and relief aid saved thousands of people.

More recently, an el Nino (severe drought) has been ravishing much of West Africa,

including hitting South Sudan, a country also in the midsts of war. More than 40% of South

Sudan's population is directly affected by the famine, either in need of food, agricultural
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techniques, or simply better nutrition (Plan International). The over a billion dollars needed for

relief funds have not yet even reached halfway there, and the government's inability to handle the

situation with any kind of organized effort is weakened significantly by the lack of funds (M&G

Africa). Both of these sources emphasis the need for outside sources to intervene during these

crises, and without their help millions could die, especially the young and elderly. While the

articles are almost a year apart they tell very similar stories, and both have the same answer.

The food crisis in Africa is only getting worse, and it is not a new occurrence. These have

been going on and off for almost thirty years, with wars and droughts being the main amplifiers

of the country's problems. Aid is easier than ever, and the UN has made Africas well-being one

of its top priorities. Many people are suffering, but help from neighboring countries, the UN, and

even private citizens is pouring in.

Works Cited
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"East Africa food crisis - our response." East Africa food crisis - our response | Oxfam

International. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2017.

"Harvest Help." Food Crises in Africa in the Last 30 Years. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2017.

"Millions in need as East Africa food crisis worsens." Plan International. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr.

2017.

Mungai, Christine. "Africa's 2016 crisis as 40 million battle hunger, and $4.5 billion needed

urgently - not all is hell though." MG Africa. N.p., 14 Feb. 2016. Web. 02 Apr. 2017.