Climate change bangs the doors on humanitarian agencies

Millions of people will continue to suffer from food crisis due to climate change, conflicts, migration to urban centres and health care challenges experienced in many countries, humanitarian agencies have warned.

According to the aid agencies, food crisis has been amplified in large part by the changing climate. The agencies also said increase in illegal arms ownership and urbanization has negatively affected the humanitarian operations.

Kenya Red Cross and International Federation of Red cross and Red Crescent expressed concern amid persistent changes drought and recent floods in most of the regions in Kenya. The aid agencies said the future of humanitarian will need to be changed as providing food aid alone has been insufficient.

“There is need to focus on development projects that will alleviate the situation of food crisis in regions affected by climate changes.

In their G20, ‘Believe in Humanity Survey’ released yesterday, aid agencies put climate change and security as the immediate concerns that needs to be addressed by the governments. The survey carried out on world power nations included Kenya as being the centre of changing climate. 

The director Kenya Red Cross, Abbas Gullet said the climate change is a reality in our country. “Families in the Kenyan coast have been swept away by the floods,” said Gullet. 

“We no longer have to talk of climate change, this is a reality on the ground,” said Gullet in an interview. He said that this will have great impact on people who are poor and hungry.

Perennial conflict experienced in parts of Northern Kenya has been fuelled by persistent drought and lack of enough resources. Many areas affected by drought are arid and semi-arid areas.

He noted that people living in arid regions face are in doubt of existence as majority of their livestock died in the recent drought.

Mr. Gullet said under normal circumstances, these areas are low in resources and under substantial ecological pressure.

When drought occurs in such arid areas, the living conditions of local people become very difficult. “In these conditions, the land yields no crops and water is insufficient for human consumption as well, “added Gullet.

The development efforts will be met if the countries in West stopped providing direct aid.  “It is a matter of fact that if one adds up the total amount of grains produced plus the total amount of other food crops, then there is sufficient to supply an adequate quantity and quality of food to the entire starving majority,” explained Gullet

The law and co-operation expert, Mr. Ibrahim Osman of International Committee of Red Cross and Red Crescent said the landscapes are fast changing and would result into serious humanitarian crisis in developing countries.  .