Over the past year, 13.3 million people in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and
Somalia were thrown into crisis as a result of drought in the Horn of
Africa, the worst in 60 years. In response we, together with the
international community, spent more than $1.5 billion saving millions of
lives by providing access to food, water and basic health services.
This crisis wasn't unique -- it was merely the peak of a decades-long
pattern of emergency and response that has been going on in the region. Over
the last decade, the United States and the European Union have spent over $9
billion and mobilized between a quarter and a half of our humanitarian
workforce to East Africa.
But money, time, effort are nothing compared to the suffering and loss that
dry-land communities continue to face. Because of a changing climate,
droughts are becoming more frequent, hitting vulnerable communities harder
and creating more hunger emergencies than ever before. As a result, families
are uprooted, brothers and sisters lose their siblings and millions of
pastoralists struggle to maintain the only existence they've ever known.
It doesn't have to be this way. Droughts can't be prevented, but they can be
predicted and mitigated thanks to investments made in early warning systems,
satellite technology and on-the-ground analysis. By identifying the
communities facing the gravest risks, we can help them withstand crisis.
But to give help with lasting impact, we must expand our focus from relief
to resilience -- from responding after emergencies to preparing communities
in advance and helping them prevail afterwards.
When we met with African leaders in Nairobi last month, we committed to do
just that. Together we are shaping up our policies -- such as the European
Union's Supporting Horn of Africa Resilience (SHARE) initiative and the new
development partner agreement to form a Global Alliance for Action on Growth
and Resilience -- so that resilience is at the heart of everything we do in
the Horn of Africa.
For instance, one of the most important measures to build resilience in
pastoral areas is supporting livestock. Cattle, goats, and other animals
often represent the only assets that dryland communities have. By
vaccinating livestock, improving herd quality and insuring pastoralists
against loss, we can prevent communities from losing their herds every time
a drought strikes.
We can also help farmers in these communities conserve water by helping
people dig wells and build rain catchments, employ drip irrigation systems
rather than relying solely on rain, and developing better seeds that can
resist droughts.
We are also supporting local governments to offer safety net programs that
can help both pastoralists and farmers cope. Last year, our support of
Ethiopian safety net programs helped prevent 8 million people from slipping
into crisis.
Some might assume that drylands and deserts can't actually provide a
sustainable livelihood for millions of people. But livestock cultivation is
a large and vibrant source of economic activity in the Horn, contributing
nearly $300 million to regional economies. A thriving livestock trade with
the Middle East brings in over 35 percent of agricultural gross domestic
product in Kenya and Ethiopia. In many cases, pastoralism is a lifestyle
that's sustainable, profitable and worth protecting.
But most importantly, we have to beat a constant drum: every time a disaster
or a drought or a food crisis imperils millions, we have to remind the world
that we must generate the same kind of creativity, resourcefulness and
generosity toward long-term solutions that are demonstrated during
emergencies.
Ultimately, when we talk about resilience, we are talking about dignity. We
are talking about helping people stay in their communities instead of being
forced to leave in search of help. We are talking about helping farmers and
pastoralists improve their livelihoods and grow their incomes, instead of
losing their crops or herds. And we're talking about local efforts that
allow neglected communities the chance to endure during crisis, instead of
depending on handouts from foreign donors.
That desire for dignity -- relying on yourself instead of depending on
others -- is something that we all seek. If the international community
focuses on resilience -- not just relief -- then we can do our part to
support them.
Dr. Kristalina Georgieva is the EU Commissioner for International
Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response. Dr. Rajiv Shah is the
Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development.
------------[ Sent via the dehai-wn mailing list by dehai.org]--------------
Received on Sat May 12 2012 - 17:06:26 EDT
