IndexImpact of drought in African rural communitiesPossible solutions to overcome the serious effects of droughtConclusionsWorks CitedSmall farmers are the driving force of African economies, even if their potential is not realised. The term smallholder farmers are given to farmers due to their lack of resources, they own small lands which they use to produce crops. Which they could also exchange for money. Their workforce may consist exclusively of family members. Small-scale farmers are characterized by the use of outdated agricultural technologies, they have small products, with small yields, their workloads change seasonally, and women play a crucial role in keeping them running. Small farmers are different, this is due to differences in farm size, distribution between food and cash crops, off-farm activities and farm animals, use of external help and paid labour, crops produced and marketed and in the running costs of the house. models. Small-scale farming can be crucial to household food security; its role can be extended to rural livelihoods and food security for all the poor in the area. Productivity is quite low, which is perhaps the result of a lack of interest in participating among the urban population and rural families. By ensuring an increase in the productivity of small farmers, food security can be guaranteed in the long term. Falling agricultural productivity contributes to growing poverty among Africans. Addressing issues that can positively impact this aspect can help reduce poverty affecting the rural population. Who may ultimately be forced to seek sustenance in urban areas. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Impact of Drought in Rural African Communities Drought affects communities in several ways. A community or family that depends primarily on livestock and agriculture is more vulnerable than a family or community with diversified livelihoods. This means they don't rely solely on water to produce. Drought is a common major natural disaster in Africa. It triggers family insecurity, causes poverty and lack of food security. According to Devereux and Maxwell (2001) sub-Saharan Africa is expected to account for approximately 50% of the world's poor in 2015, up from 19% in 1990. There was a case of drought in Ethiopia, affecting over 13 million people and were left in need of emergency assistance. This happened between 2002 and 2003, there was a combination of economic shock and drought. According to OCHA (2004) food aid has been delivered. But other aspects of assistance have not received much emphasis and funding, such as public health, income support to protect livelihoods, and medicines for both community and livestock, seeds, water and sanitation. -sanitary. According to Calow et al (2010) when it comes to assistance when a community has been affected by drought there is a food approach that does not take into consideration other factors such as non-food assistance. Water supply is also neglected, making it out of line with livelihood realities. Malawi also suffered from a prolonged drought that caused shallow wells to dry up, resulting in severe water shortages. This occurred in 1991-1992 in other areas, however the groundwater wasavailable, not accessible. Access to clean, good quality water is important to prevent exposure to disease. Numerous epidemiological investigations have revealed disasters related to drought and famine as the main cause of death. They are preventable diseases that are also infectious like measles and diarrhea and are the leading cause of death. Childhood malnutrition leading to diseases has repeatedly been observed especially during drought periods. In small-scale agriculture, domestic water is used for irrigation and watering livestock. It is also used for food, drink and for building and building materials (e.g. brick making). The 2004-2005 drought in the Horn of Africa caused the loss of more than 70% of livestock and the migration of large numbers of people in search of water supplies, jobs and food. Women and girls are mainly affected during drought as the recorded time is 5 hours to collect drinking water during dry season and drought. This also negatively affects their educational opportunities as water collection is part of their responsibilities. Collecting alcoholic beverages can also cause injury to young children as they carry heavy buckets and travel long distances. In 2008, Lesotho suffered three years of drought, according to allAfrica.com. Lesotho supplies South Africa, but these years of drought have left people without access to water and without food security. They were also facing the spread of disease and death. It has been established that, according to the Rural Water Supply Department, 30% of their water points have run out. Around 350,000 people faced food shortages for at least 6 months. Burkina Faso suffered two severe droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. The drought has been felt in parts of the country that are densely populated, have high land use and have highly degraded land that requires urgent corrective action. Over 80% live in rural areas with a density of 211 inhabitants per square kilometre. The agricultural sector employs 87% of the workforce. Yatenga in Burkina Faso has experienced numerous droughts dating back to 1832-1839, 1940-1942 and 1979-1985, to name a few. Over the last thirty years, rainfall has fallen from 720 mm per year to less than 500 mm per year. They removed natural vegetation for agricultural purposes, which had a negative effect on the land, as erosion occurred during heavy rains. In October 1984, a disastrous drought occurred which affected food production and livelihoods. Their losses are estimated to be 149 kg less per person than the annual cereal harvest. It is made up of Mossi who make up 40% of the population. It is also made up of Fulani, who represent a significant number (10%) and are mainly involved in pastoral activities. It is densely populated with 100 people per square kilometre. This put a strain on the land and drove the village into poverty, prompting most Mossi to begin looking for other forms of livelihood. They looked for paid employment opportunities outside their region. .Possible solutions to overcome the severe effects of drought In addition to lack of resources, another challenge faced by rural farmers that threatens their livelihood is drought. Extensive research has been conducted on drought in Africa, in different perspectives. This includes weather, agricultural and food security. Water security was overlooked when these studies were conducted, as underground water supplies can be the main source of water in some rural areas. It also reduces the impact of water scarcity with thechange in precipitation. Water and food are common and are interconnected, building an infrastructure to harness groundwater. Food production and consumption become a concern due to water scarcity, and aquifer depletion is an unlikely concern. Planning is key and identifying areas that could be affected by water scarcity. Put in place ways to monitor areas that may be affected for early detection. Design infrastructure to provide groundwater to rural areas based on a solid understanding of hydrogeological conditions, user demand and easily accessible water points. There is an increase in failures of wells, springs and boreholes during periods of drought. This tends to be a trend, but groundwater is rarely affected. There are transactions of goods during drought, such as trading livestock for agricultural products. Violence can erupt in conflicts over water resources and land, which is common. The most important recommendation was that the government grant access to portable water supply and sanitation in recognition of compliance with this principle. Ethiopians have little access to potable water and sanitation. Looking at the Yatenga of Burkina Faso, the agricultural practice they have adopted and self-development. They used kitchen waste as fertilizer and grew vegetables. They also use animal dung as fertilizer, as it allows them to graze after harvesting. The Naam movement helped development without destroying the environment with the help of Bernard Ledea Ouedraogo. A teacher interested in rural development work. This movement is self-help and is made up of a group of young women and men. They have elected leaders and are equal in terms of gender. They gathered in the rainy season to plant and harvest using low-cost local tools and materials. Six S was founded by Ouedraogo to provide financial and technical support to Naam groups. He raised funds internationally for better medicines, pumps, cement and tools. It was founded in 1976 as an umbrella organization and by 1985 the number of Naam groups increased to 1,350. This went beyond simple agricultural activities, as in the village of Somiaga the Naam group built a pharmacy and a mill invented a solution for drinking water. digging a well and starting a nursery. To improve food security, a grain bank was started in 1983. This helps manage price fluctuations when grains are not in abundance. It is purchased at a low price during the season and stored at the grain bank. They also built a dam which not only became useful for irrigation and filling the local well, but also became a source of fish. Yatenga has continued with innovative methods to overcome challenges to survive water scarcity. With projects such as Projet Agro-Forestier to improve the soil by preventing erosion. And the conservation of water, promoting its collection. According to Lovell (2000) it is essential to invest in large diameter collector wells so that they can support a wide range of uses, including garden irrigation. According to Adelana and MacDonald (2008) improve water security at the local level. You need to make an informative decision, useful information such as hydrogeological and groundwater information can be helpful. This can be used for groundwater development and integrated water resources management. Which can also help in drought preparation. In Ethiopia, for example, the UK Department for International Development is developing ways toimprove rural water supplies and prepare for drought. They have collected such primary information and local level mapping for such development. As progress has been made in preparing for poverty monitoring and assessment, livelihood surveys and monitoring systems are a growing feature of development programmes. If these systems in place can be combined with the food safety information known by the government and donors, it could help raise awareness and assist with a response that will be effective. Even with good information from livelihood monitoring and all related information systems, this does not mean that the response will be timely, flexible and effective. However, it will make it easier to understand the impact of drought on water and food security and vulnerability and predict its extent. The degradation of natural resources has led to food insecurity and endangered livelihoods of rural people, making them more vulnerable. WFP and organizations interested in the development of drought-vulnerable countries believe that if investments could be made in natural resources, a long-term solution could be achieved. Compared to short-term solutions that involve giving these countries food and money. With water security, food security and strengthening their resilience are likely in the long term. The risk of crop failure is reduced. Water harvesting has also been found to be effective as it has been reported that water from ponds and dams can be used for productive purposes (i.e. agriculture, livestock, construction, etc.), domestic purposes (cooking, cleaning, etc. ). Rural residents interviewed had positive feedback stating that water interventions had positive effects on natural resources, resulting in improved food security. The employment opportunities opened up by the implementation of such projects also assist rural residents with medical needs, their children's education, and reinvestment in their livelihoods. Conclusion The future does not look better with the effects of climate change. Africa's arid and semi-arid land is expected to increase by 5-8%. This in turn will lead to a decline in maize production in southern Africa and, by 2080, there will be no more wheat production on the continent. Some countries such as South Africa are fortunate in that remedial action can be taken for these arid conditions. Such as removing alien plants and importing water from neighboring Lesotho. With climate change, precipitation is expected to decrease and high temperatures will lead to evaporation of water. This will lead to extreme water shortages. This will affect, for example, the economies of Namibia, which depends heavily on natural resources. This decline in rainfall affects livestock farmers as it affects rangeland resources which threatens pastoral livelihoods. This will result in herders traveling long distances in search of grazing land. Conflicts will also arise between herders and farmers due to limited resources. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In the African countries we looked at we saw that the majority of their population were employed in the agricultural sector, or relied on it for their livelihood. As seen, most of these people live in rural areas, for example in Burkina Faso, and the Yatenga make up 40% of the population. The common thing in their situation is that water scarcity seriously affects the.