Humanitarian agencies and international bodies are coming together, bringing funds, relief and emergency responses to the drought-affected populations of the Horn of Africa. ACTED staff already present in the field is stepping up its programs and resources towards the most vulnerable areas: emergency assessments in new identified priority regions are being carried out, additional staffs are pouring in to organize the operations.

Stories of survival and of crisis situations are coming up, giving a sense of the scope of the emergency beyond numbers. Staff members of our partner in Southern Somalia are describing dire situation and scenes they have witnessed in the past few days. Hunger and thirst are a daily burden for parents looking for enough to feed their families.

The drought was predictable and predicted. Various early warning systems – whether FEWSNET, AridLands, or meteorological agencies – have been ringing alarm bells more and more forcefully since December 2010. Relying on these different early warning systems put in place in the framework of drought prevention and mitigation projects, ACTED and other humanitarian partners have been calling for some time for increased international attention to the alarming impact of recurrent droughts on the food situation of isolated rural populations in Southern Somalia as well as throughout the Horn of Africa. Today, time is running, and it is time to act. Now.

Alerts since December 2010

This crisis makes the international headlines this summer. "But the emergency of drought and its impact on the food security of rural populations in the Horn of Africa was known for quite some time", reminds Patrick Cantin, ACTED Deputy Country Director in Somalia and Kenya.

"It was already clear by December last year that the 2010 short rainy season was a failure, complete in most part of the arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya and Somalia. As a result, ACTED, together with other organizations, approached donors so as to address a potential food crisis.

By the month of April, the confirmed drought in the Horn of Africa was said to be a disaster without precedent. The late start and erratic distribution of the long rains, with less than 30% of the long term rainfall average in some areas, made it clear that the level of the crisis would be disastrous, if rapid interventions were not launched immediately. In June, the drought was said to be of the worst kind in the last 60 years, the most terrible disaster in the world.

In June, the drought was said to be of the worst kind in the last 60 years, the most terrible disaster in the world.

The broad international community came to realize the magnitude of this disaster by mid of July, seven months after the first alarm had been raised! All along, NGOs have been ready to step up preparations, so as, at first, to avoid such a disaster, and secondly, as to respond quickly to it, but the lack of funds did not allow them to implement more efficient timely actions."

Preventive measures could have avoided such a crisis

"Tackling the issue from the onset and long term solutions are key to avoid such horrendous emergencies", underlines Sebastien Lambroschini, ACTED Country Director for the Horn of Africa

"The response of the international community is too late. Unfortunately, although some funds were availed early, it was too little to allow the aid community to effectively prevent the worst drought impact across Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.

Although it seems that now the international community is putting funds on the table, it is to respond to a food security emergency and famine rather than prevent them.

Despite all the lessons learned and advocacy about the need to handle drought differently from rapid onset disasters, it seems that the international community did not learn from past experiences. At the end of the day, responding to the food security emergency will be much more expensive to the international community than preventing it. It is unfortunate and quite sad that the international community only steps up to the plate when malnourished children fill our TV screens"

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