Famine: The Man-Made and Natural Causes

This excess amount of mortality and suffering stem from famine which shows the most accurate form in Africa. In order to comprehend and tackle this critical issue in our global world, we must be informed what famine is. Famine is an extreme or extended hunger in a substantial part of a land or population of the country that causes to undernourishment and death followed by starvation and illnesses (Basu). Famine, which has been grown into nightmare of the humanity for millenniums, can stem from natural causes and man-made causes; so that it contributes to health, food scarcity and social economic issues.

Firstly, famine can be arisen from natural disasters such as severe floods and droughts, whose devastating effects on harvest failures. Especially Sub Saharan countries in which the source of livelihood and primary industry rely on agriculture suffer from these natural disasters with the sharpest declines in production of crops. Extreme droughts accompanied with the global warming dry the crops out that are grown in hot and arid weather of Africa. Severe floods stemmed from heavy rain falls and exacerbated by insufficient infrastructure sweeps away all endeavour of one year and damages crop yields. Apart from that, all these incidents prompt the speculations which make people feel anxious about the lack of food and ‘nonexistence’ food shortages. Consequently, this uncertainty which is arisen from upcoming shortage results with panic buying and sudden increase in prices (Hasell).

Secondly, famine also is arisen from man-made causes such as poor agricultural practice and false irrigation method. Since in African countries, as the government cannot afford to make extensive investments in agriculture, some of the farmers may not be conscious enough to apply or afford equipments for correct irrigation method. For instance, according flood irrigation method which is preferred by farmers at West Africa (Tomatojo) fields are irrigated through water ditches and this technique leads to all fertile part of the soil. Therefore with remaining barren part of the soil including high amount of salt, in the production of crops cannot be obtained any efficiency and this loss directly deals a blow to success of the harvest. As a result these practices decline in quality of the soil along with productivity of harvest will lead to increase aridity and will divest what locals are doing to earn their livelihood.

Finally wars, civil conflicts and food blockages can be regarded as man-made causes of the famine. Famines in Africa have been associated with civil wars, economic or societal collapses. In the case of conflicts, agricultural lands can be set into fire or ruined deliberately and economic crisis due to instability can impede production and trade of the crops. Moreover, during this disorders distribution of the food supplies and aids can be interrupted by political instability. As a result, disruption in trade and blockages, that stem from these conflicts, lead to widespread migrations. Moreover, as labourers and farmers cannot generate income from their ruined lands, they are force to emigrate with the rest of the local who end up in the borderline as starving refugees.

In conclusion, Thousands of people are suffering from starvation and looking for new ways to earn their livelihood. Humanity, therewith all lively life are victims of droughts and severe flood, which brings along huge destruction and extreme hunger. Famine is one of the biggest global issue on our world and this widespread issue, whose essence is natural and man-made variables, can be causation of tremendous problems that need to be tackled with immediately.