Southern Africa’s temperatures are rising at twice the global average rate, according to the International Panel on Climate Change, and in much of South Africa the level of water in reservoirs is dwindling. The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly severe in sub-Saharan Africa, where millions of people are facing severe food shortages due to drought. Parts of Africa have been plagued by dry seasons growing hotter and rainy seasons arriving later and with less water for crops and livestock. From November to March, Africa experiences its wet season. This is true in other parts of the world besides Africa, so sustainable water consumption is one of the most important factors if we want to overcome drought in the future. The drought situation, especially in the horn of Africa and the northern arid areas of Kenya, has been a major concern for a long time, as result humanitarian help is always required in the area or the people face starvation. At the moment, over two-thirds of the land in Africa is degraded. Poverty is increasing due to the drought, since agriculture is often the biggest source of income in Africa. 5, Food Shortages in the Greater Horn of Africa, NASA Goddard Space The 2011 East African drought was reportedly the region’s worst for 60 years. Human-caused warming contributed substantially to the very warm 2015/16 El Niño sea surface temperatures, and this contribution likely reduced Southern African … The Causes Of Droughts In Africa 1537 Words | 7 Pages. Between July 2011 and mid-2012, a severe drought affected the entire East African region. (2011, May 6). It’s impossible to say for any single event that it could not have occurred without anthropogenic – caused by human activity – influence. Because drought is defined as a deficit in water supply, it can be caused by a number of factors. Various Causes of Droughts. Global warming increasingly causes long periods of extreme heat and drought within these areas. For example, water stores such as aquifers, can take months or even years to replenish. In East Africa, La Niña causes drought. The food security crisis is the worst since 1991-92, says FEWS NET. The quantity of water vapor in the atmosphere pretty much impacts the precipitation of an area. 1 These countries with lots of drought often have deadly dry seasons and short rainy seasons. (CNN)A severe drought threatens millions of people in East Africa. More rain, sleet, hail, and snow can occur where there are moist, low-pressure air systems. In Somalia, the harvest was less than 20 percent of the average harvest, and people began to run short on food in April. Justdiggit is a Dutch foundation with the goal to restore degraded ecosystems by developing, initiating and co-funding large-scale landscape restoration programs within Africa. In East Africa, La Niña causes drought. But, in the same way that loading a dice can increase the likelihood of rolling a six, the presence of human-induced climate change can alter the likelihoodthat a drought will occur. Famine Early Warning Systems Network. Cause of the Drought. In southern Somalia, currently the most severely impacted region, the harvest is expected to be 50 percent below average, says the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). Droughts are usually common in places where normal levels of rainfall are generally low, making them more … Many areas affected by drought are arid and semi-arid areas. Drought While drought is common to Southern Africa, associate professor in the department of oceanography at the University of Cape Town Dr Mathieu Rouault explained that the two main causes of the current drought are El Niño and climate change. Hunger and famine crises are escalating at several hot spots: in four countries – three in Africa and one in the Middle East – a total of 20 million people, including countless children, are at risk of starvation. Under normal circumstances, these areas are low in resources and under substantial ecological pressure. Drought in South Africa caused by El Niño, human action and climate change “Cape Town could run out of water in April”, “Fears grow that taps will run dry”. Image of the Day As a result, these impacts are out of phase with impacts in other economic sectors. The causes of famine The Horn of Africa’s famine is not just down to the weather. The poor harvest and lack of pasture in July compounds existing food security problems. “ The number one priority is that South Africa remains food secure – which it is already battling to do,” says Van Zyl. The Causes Of Droughts In Africa 1537 Words | 7 Pages. Vegetation promotes the sequestration of carbon, cooling of the soil, and stimulates the water cycle. East Africa (EA) has been the primary focus for various drought studies in recent years. The three dominant causes are drought, high food costs, poverty and … At the moment, over two-thirds of the land in Africa is degraded. All rights reserved, Justdiggit, Do you have a question about Justdiggit? It takes longer for precipitation deficiencies to show up in components of the hydrological system such as soil moisture, streamflow, and groundwater and reservoir levels. Its main causes in Africa are physical and economic scarcity, rapid population growth, and climate change. Or do you have ideas, suggestions or just want to say ‘Hello’? Horn of Africa drought crisis situation report no. Therefore, the land dries out quicker than it would have if it was covered in vegetation. (2011, July 21). Journal of Climate, 15 (21), 3096–3103. Another bad harvest reduces food availability even more, which means that food prices will likely rise more in the coming months. Justdiggit is an official technical and media partner of the AFR100. Ultimately this will lead to desertification and large areas of degraded land. The United Nations has declared a famine in parts of Somalia, as the worst drought for 60 years forces thousands of people to flee their homes and cross the country's borders in search of aid. People in East Africa must prepare. Do you have a question about Justdiggit? Land becomes bare and unprotected, increasing the drought of the land. In the last few years there’s been rapid development in the science of quantifying what role huma… In South Africa, 37.44% of rural communities are affected by the drought. Finland and Norway together! Life Pastures are also sparse, putting stress on livestock. While drought is common to Southern Africa, associate professor in the department of oceanography at the University of Cape Town Dr Mathieu Rouault explained that the two main causes of the current drought are El Niño and climate change. Water is unevenly distributed throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Overexploitation of the land, felling of trees for firewood, overgrazing of grassy areas and inappropriate land use practices are causing the decrease of vegetation. The resulting warmer air and increased humidity over the Indian Ocean produce more frequent rainfall in that region. However, it isn’t just the United States that receives much drought, but many other countries as well. Drought is a serious problem within Africa. As overall temperatures increase more water evaporates and severe weather conditions increase. However, a comprehensive analysis of droughts, including their evolution, complexity, social implications and people's vulnerability is currently lacking. Expanding famine across southern Somalia. The drought behind the crisis is the worst in the region in the last 60 years, with some areas experiencing one of the driest years on record. image caption The drought has forced thousands to cross borders, like these Somalis in Dadaab, Kenya Some parts of the Horn of Africa have been hit by the worst drought in … Atmospheric conditions such as climate change, ocean temperatures, changes in the jet stream, and changes in the local landscape are all culprits in the long story of the causes of droughts. Here is a list of the factors that trigger a drought: Low Levels of Precipitation. due to a drought. Two-thirds of the land in Africa is degraded. This map of the most recent growing season in East Africa reveals the poor conditions that led to famine in parts of Somalia and a food emergency in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti. With these sponsored media campaigns, we aim to amplify the effect of landscape restoration programs, thereby creating a landscape restoration movement, promoting regreening throughout Africa. (2011, June 14). In the late 2015 – early 2016 season, an El Niño event caused a drought in some parts of Southern Africa. Water evaporates out of the pores of plants and trees, increasing the humidity. Meteorological causes of drought. The previous crop, harvested early in the year, was also poor. 5 Natural and Human Causes of Drought. Poor performance of April rains brings major food security concerns in the Eastern Horn. More rain, sleet, hail, and snow can occur where there are moist, low-pressure air systems. East Africa has been facing a food crisis on and off since 2011, including most recently in 2017 and 2020. For many in East Africa, the current drought is the worst in living memory.