Topic > Essay on the Famine in Somalia - 1524

Laura Smith – Spark on www.cnn.com writes: “Half of the 258,000 Somalis who died in the famine were children under the age of 5.” (Smith-Spark et al. May 2, 2013) Somalia was once considered one of the most prosperous countries in Africa, but is now considered one of the worst. How did this horrible transition happen in such a prosperous country? This horrendous result is due to famine, lack of resources and lack of trade. Oxfam International states: “Famines are the result of a combination of “triple failures” (“Somalia Famine: Causes and Solutions”). This triple failure includes production, access, and response failures. Somalia is the victim of a two-year drought. Oxfam International states that “especially given that the next harvest will be 50% of normal”. ("Famine in Somalia: Causes and Solutions") Because Somalia cannot feed its population, this problem creates malnutrition and affects all ages, especially young people. This is a huge problem in their economic system. Young people are dying too early, thus creating a gap in age distribution, which may have repercussions on the Somali workforce in the future. This could also make the economic system weaker. If the only people living in Somalia are elderly, no work will be done. One of the reasons they die so young is lack of food. Food availability is minimal. Oxfam International states: “The drought has killed pastoralists' key livestock resources (up to 90% animal mortality in some areas), further reducing their purchasing power.” ("Famine in Somalia: Causes and Solutions") Somalia's access to food is limited because the Somali population cannot feed their animals. Even the people of Somalia cannot trade for food, because dead... middle of paper... launches trade and substantial income. The United Nations can help these countries build their economies if they can improve their trade. The United Nations can do all this by implementing a single policy. The policy that will need to be approved is a distribution policy. If this policy were approved, the money generated from trade could be used in projects for the future and help these countries develop as a whole. This distribution policy will take time to implement due to other actors, but these actors do not pose a big problem. This distribution policy benefits the economies of developing countries such as Somalia. It helps countries develop a trade balance and generate revenue. Food will be more available to the Somali population and fewer people will be affected. Everyone in Somalia will have the opportunity to provide food for themselves and others. Hunger in Somalia will end.