What can be done to prevent famine?

[Jason76]

East Africa's hunger crisis needs global action, says Oxfam

Widespread hunger across East Africa could become 'a catastrophe' without an injection of funds to the region's most vulnerable communities, the international aid group Oxfam warned Tuesday.

www.ctvnews.ca

Some claim famines are mostly human created. Well, of course, the idea is some sinister evil thing is behind the scenes? Do you agree?

 

[zappaDPJ]

East Africa's hunger crisis needs global action, says Oxfam

Widespread hunger across East Africa could become 'a catastrophe' without an injection of funds to the region's most vulnerable communities, the international aid group Oxfam warned Tuesday.

www.ctvnews.ca

Some claim famines are mostly human created. Well, of course, the idea is some sinister evil thing is behind the scenes? Do you agree?

I think it unlikely there's anything particularly nefarious going on behind the scenes, more likely it's a combination of greed, climate and possibly logistics.

I tend to avoid anything Oxfam or any similar charity has to say about these kind of issues because I find them totally untrustworthy but taken on face value, the $6 billion they claim is needed to help feed the Horn of Africa is a pittance e.g Roman Abramovich who has been very much in the news in the UK has an estimated net worth of $12.4 billion.

That said money doesn't really solve problems because the bulk of it rarely ends up being spent where it's needed. Also climate or drought is clearly a factor so what's needed is a long term fix. I'm far from being an expert but I would have thought desalination plants would be a good start towards it.

Logistically I suspect the real problem is how to stop all the charitable contributions being siphoned off or diverted by the huge chain of corruption that sits between the donators and the point of need.