Dramatic End to Somalia Drought by Helen McKenzie
A five year long drought has been devastating much of Somalia, the worst in at least fifteen years, some say the worst in thirty years. Although the drought has been brought to an end in places, it has been abrupt, with flooding across much of the country.
The drought has meant that crops have been poor or non-existent, so the recent sustained period of rain brought some hope of a recovery and a decent harvest. However, the rains resulted in the river Juba bursting its banks on Thursday, leaving acres of farmland submerged.
The Gedo region, which borders Kenya, as well as the rivers Jedo and parts of the Shabeelle, have all received plenty of rain over recent weeks, which has actually hampered aid efforts. But there are still plenty of drought-stricken regions within Somalia, mainly northern parts, as well as neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia.
Somalia is one of the world’s poorest and least developed countries, with almost half of the population living on less than $1 per day. This means that crops are a vital resource. By early June, precipitation statistics should be available, in order to forecast the quality of the all important July harvest.
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