The struggle to manage drought crises

Molla M.

According to its weekly Humanitarian Bulletin, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), in collaboration with the Africa Union Commission, has organized a Horn of Africa Partnership Mission from 8 to 13 June 2017 aimed to  raise awareness about the devastating drought situation in the Horn of Africa and accelerate resource mobilization to respond to it.  More than 10 high-level delegates from donor agencies, private sector representatives and Gulf States visited  Ethiopia and Somalia.

The current need for food and non-food assistances has already dicreased  from what it was in 2016. "In fact,  at this juncture of time,  the government has also to support the 2.7 million children and mothers requiring supplementary feeding, 9.2 million people need support to access safe drinking water, 1.9 million households need livestock support and 300,000 children between 6-59 months old who are targeted  for severe acute malnutrition in 2017," UNOHCA.

Growth will remain solid in countries like Ethiopia if it is supported by infrastructure investment  and improved agricultural production. While projecting a generally stable economic performance for most Sub-Saharan Africa economies World Bank  noted, "economies will averagely ‘‘pick up to 2.6 percent in 2017 and to 3.2 percent in 2018, predicated on moderately rising commodity prices and reforms to tackle macroeconomic imbalances.”

Besides, double commitment is needed in countries like Ethiopia implementing  drought mitigation mechanism and sustaining the emerging growth. It emphasized that Ethiopia has been building it economy during the past twenty six years that contributed to control the situation by itself but still its needs support from donor countries and development partners to maintain both.

It is undeniable fact that Ethiopia has succeeded in preventing the loss of human life due to the impact of the severe drought through the integrated efforts of the government, the people and stakeholders.

According to documents from Disaster Prevention and Risk Management Commission,  the droughts in the late 60s and the 70s had cost the country 250,000 and 700,000 human life respectively. Now there is no death risk so far and the government continued its supportive efforts and allocated 16.5 billion Birr  to reduce drought and bring about sustainable development.  Besides, the drought mitigation capacity of the country raised due to the growing capacity of the public, increased participation of investors, allocation of budget by regional states to withstand drought and state-to-state supports. 

It is believed that apart from assisting the drought victims, it is crucial to devote on schemes that could help to solve the problem in the long run. It is known that the country has a potential of 18 million hectares open land to cover with tree seedlings. If this is properly handled and covered with plants it could contribute in reducing the possibility of drought.

Besides, what the government has began on irrigation and water management should also be strengthened and scaled up so that it  plays its share in drought mitigation schemes.  The other crucial task is exerting a significant effort in helping farmers increase their productivity through supplying technical and material supports; thereby, working hard to   transform the  agricultural sector and integrated it with the industrial development is so crucial.

Due to the collaborated efforts of the governments and the people. the dire drought situation that the country has faced is already handled but yet not averted.  That is why the government of Ethiopia urged the involvement of  international donor organizations while it has been tackling the drought almost alone.

It  emanated from the consolidated endeavors commenced to ensure sustainable economic progress in the country which was manifested through progressing the  industry, agriculture and services sectors.

Now, it is not hard for the Ethiopian government to help the drought victims as the entire  economy has well progressing. This is also confirmed by international organizations. One of the recent reports in this regard emphasized that Ethiopia’s economy will be the most expansive on the continent for the year 2017,  according to the World Bank.

The global finance outfit Global Economic Prospect report released this month stated, ‘‘Ethiopia economic growth is forecast to expand by 8.3 percent in 2017." The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also  released in April this year Ethiopia as the new economic giant of the East Africa region.

Ethiopia’s economic growth since 2015 has been pegged at 10.8 percent that its  economic growth is hinged on public-led spending on infrastructure and a strong demand by locals. Besides, the country has   becoming an investor destination of choice for many investors of different countries.

The developments registered  in the past twenty six years has created economic enabling conditions that attribute to withstanding the current drought crises. This is emanated from the consolidated endeavors commenced  in the country, which is manifested through the various mega projects, Infrastructure developments, Sugar development Projects and the Hydropower Dam constructions costing a huge capital and at the same time witnessing the rising economy of the country.

Back to 2016 when the drought was so severe in the country coerced the government to assist  10.2 million people in food demand, regional states have played significant roles in supporting drought victims in their respective region.

For instance,  the Oromiya  Regional State  has allocated 1.5 billion Birr  to help drought victims; of which 1.2 billion Birr from its annual budget.   All regions have been doing the same. That initiation of regional states in assisting drought victims  has continued to the present time. This indicates the capability of the Regional States and the people to assist drought victims. 

Another undeniable fact is  that the government has also managed to   control the widespread of epidemics in areas affected by drought. Unlike previous droughts, the country was well equipped with health institutions, health practitioners and the necessary logistics.

In fact, it is quite clear that the  efforts exerted to strengthen smallholder farming has played  a remarkable role  in strengthening the bases of social protection and improve the livelihood of rural household.

That is why a large number of farmers have changed their lives as they  became millionaires due to the efforts made in improving their productivity, which vividly indicated the enabling power to help others within the farmers themselves. 

The government and people of Ethiopia have gave a serious attention to curb the effects of the drought since the beginning. The situation is being wisely guided, handled and maintained none death risks.