Drought Somalia

Drought is a natural calamity because of the inherent variable character of rainfall, there are often occasions when the actual rainfall in arid region falls appreciably below the average. This causes drought, which manifests in terms of crop failure, unreplenished ground and surface water resources and deprivation of fodder for cattle, thus very adversely affecting the livelihood of the people. The drought creeps on us gradually, almost mysteriously, but its consequences are terrible reality. Catastrophic droughts in a row cause large scale migration, loss of livestock and human lives due to severe scarcity of water, food and fodder.

Droughts lead to total absence of surface water sources. The traditional water storage structures meant primarily for drinking; and check dams etc. meant for crop production dry up before onset of summer during drought years. Wells are only source of irrigation, but the quality of water at most places is brackish and questionable for drinking due to presence of toxins. The groundwater table has declined to the extent that the shallow wells dry up, deep wells further deepened and the quality of water in deep wells deteriorates from slightly saline to saline. Sometimes, the concentration of undesirable elements such as fluoride and nitrate increase to harmful/toxic levels. The poor people suffer the most since the wells owned by them are shallow and they can’t afford to deepen them.

Action for Poverty is increasing its support to drought-stricken Somalia as thousands of people are struggling to find water, much of which is undrinkable. Money raised will go towards keeping the lifesaving water points hygienic as well as rehabilitating boreholes, hand-dug wells and rainwater catchments. Recent reports suggest that rivalry for the scant levels of water currently available has led to vicious attacks from wild baboons and hyenas. Dirty water is often the only source available for an increasingly vulnerable population, already ravaged by a 15-year civil war.Some 2.2 million people in developing countries, 1.7 million of whom are children, die every year from diseases associated with unsafe drinking water.

Action for Poverty is supplying water to remote areas in Somalia but what we are seeing is a desperate situation. Major water sources are either completely dried up or polluted due to lack of protection. Action for Poverty is supporting food distributions of maize, beans and soya oil for more than 50,000 people in Somalia. Kenya and Ethiopia are also suffering the effects of drought. Action for Poverty is supporting in Kenyan and Ethiopia with food distributions, water trucking and animal de-stocking.