Oxfam launches food crisis appeal

28/09/2009 - 08:06:18

Millions of people living with the effects of climate change are at risk of starving to death in east Africa, and Irish aid agency said today.

Oxfam Ireland said more than 20 million people across the region face critical shortages of food and water following successive years of failed rains and worsening drought.

The charity has launched a €450,000 appeal to help alleviate food crisis and help support the livelihoods of farmers.

Oxfam said public donations will also support grain banking, water and sanitation programmes.

The appeal came days after Taoiseach Brian Cowen and US President Barack Obama joined world leaders in New York for a high level UN meeting on climate change.

Jim Clarken, Oxfam Ireland’s chief executive, said: “Over two million people across large parts of Northern and North-Eastern Uganda are suffering from severe food shortages following short and erratic rainfall this year, while in Tanzania, the successive years of failed rains mean that many thousands are in dire need of assistance.

“While world leaders like Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen finally wake up to the danger of climate change, people in East Africa are already waking up to drought and food shortages exacerbated by climate change.”

On Saturday Peter Power, minister of state for overseas development, called on more than 100 world leaders gathered at the United Nations to forge a global partnership to eradicate hunger.

Delivering a keynote address at a special meeting convened by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to tackle the urgent hunger crisis, Minister Power underlined the need to address the structural problems which cause food insecurity, rather than simply treating the symptoms of hunger.

The junior minister said he could speak as a representative of a country which experienced famine and whose population was decimated after the Great Famine of 1847.

Oxfam said the east African food crisis is compounded by a number of factors including chronic poverty and rocketing food prices.

But the weather is also becoming increasingly unpredictable – with longer dry spells and short, intense rains that can lead to severe flooding and landslides.

Many families cannot afford basic cereals and are forced to sell their assets, such as livestock, alleviating short term hunger but exacerbating long-term problems, it added.

For details contact 1850 30 40 55, an Oxfam shop or www.oxfamireland.org