Aniela Santoso
EIL 320 Section 6
October 15, 2014
The Solutions of Food Shortage in Somalia
Africa, or as known as the Dark Continent, is the world's second-largest and second-most-populous continent. Every time this continent is mentioned, usually we immediately think about extreme poverty, children’s malnutrition, food and water shortage, also deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Ebola. We only recognize the problem from the surface and just rely on humanitarian organization’s aid. But in reality, people in Africa, especially in Somalia, have undergone a very serious problem of food shortage and famine for a long time and still depend on international’s aid without helpful solution. In fact, Somalia has experienced a situation of acute malnutrition in more than 30 percent of children, at least two deaths per 10,000 people every day and access to less than four litres of water a day (CARE, 2012). Therefore, this paper will examine the possibly long-term solutions in economic, social, and political sectors to overcome the root of this problem.
Food shortage in Somalia occurred as a result of natural and human factors. There are three major factors that cause this problem, which is dominated by human factors. First, Somalia has experienced civil war and political unrest as a result of the domination of an organization called Al Qaeda, which is led by Al Shahaab. Al Qaeda prohibited any deliveries of food aid from any organizations and agencies (Erdenemunkh, 2013). Second, the problem is also caused by severe drought. As a result, the Somali could not harvest any crops and produce foods for themselves. Third, serious piracy attacks in Somali waters also take part in causing this problem. The pirates hijacked almost all food aid from other countries that distribute the aid to Somalia. Therefore, those foods can’t be distributed to starving and needy people in Somalia. These severe causes have brought abundant negative effects to the people of Somalia. According to BBC News (2013), fifty percent of dead people were children between 0 and 5 years old as a result of malnutrition. Another serious effect is regarding to the national security of Somalia. People are desperate for food, consequently, they start to accomplish anything to obtain the foods, such as commit crimes, even killing people.
In order to overcome the problem in Somalia, four potential solutions have been analyzed and examined. Initially, the government needs to pay attention to the emergency preparation and early warning. According to Geoffrey York (2013), early warning systems are essential for disaster preparation and famine prevention. The government needs to develop a program concerning the ability to provide predictions of droughts that are likely to result in famine. With the assistance of this program, the government has to be able to improve the capacity to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies, therefore the people could receive the help on time and prevent the death of the hungry people, especially the children.
Another possible solution is regarding to the investment for food production in agricultural technologies. There are 3.5 million people facing food shortage and only survive from the humanitarian aid that is provided to them. (Ross, 2011). Problematic times due to climate change can be mitigated through the cultivation of hardier crops, more affordable inputs, including improved seed and mineral fertilizer, combined with easier access to markets and credits, also rural enterprising. This solution will surely assist the people, especially small farmers and pastoralists to overcome hunger by improving their ability to feed themselves and not just always rely on the aid from humanitarian organizations.
Developing the infrastructure such as roads and reservoir is also considered helpful for the people. By building those infrastructures, especially roads, food aid can be able to be distributed equally to all needy households in Somalia. Food camps should be avoided as much as possible because there are a lot of people who cannot go to the central food aid such as food camps as a result of weakness caused by extreme hunger. Therefore, not all the people could acquire the aid. Camps also threaten the population’s health by spreading disease and because of weak management and operation in camps may leave the neediest people unassisted (IFPRI, 2002). In addition, reconstruction of reservoirs also helps people to manage irrigation system. With having better irrigation system, people are able to improve their food production and will be less likely to be affected by drought.
The final solution is concerning political solutions, especially to eradicate piracy and civil war in Somalia. According to Lusztyk (2011), the government has to realize that those problems can’t be solved only through military measures, therefore it has to develop further relationship with its neighboring countries in order to form a political strategy to eliminate the root of civil war and piracy. Unemployment amongst youth is a major contributor to conflict in Somalia, consequently, the government also has to set up a program which can raise the people’s income, especially the youth, through secondary education, vocational training and small business development (CARE, 2012). As a result, those well-educated youth that have a sustainable income will be less likely to join a militia, piracy, or for that matter be affected by drought.
In conclusion, there are four potential solutions to overcome food shortage in Somalia. The first solution is the government has to be able to provide early warning system and also quick and effective emergency respond. Second, the investment of food production especially in agricultural sector has to be increased in order to help the people to be able to survive from this problem. The third solution is to develop and build the infrastructure such as roads and reservoirs, therefore the distribution of the food aid can be done equally to all needy households. Finally, one of the major solution is the improvement of the political condition in Somalia to overcome civil war and piracy. Somalia should engage with its neighboring countries in a constructive way therefore they are able to assist Somalia to eradicate piracy and civil war through comprehensive political, security, and economy strategy. The government also should form a program which can raise people’s income especially the youth, consequently they are less likely to join any organizations that create instability.
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References
BBC News. (May 2, 2013). Somalia famine ‘killed 260,000 people’. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22380352.

CARE. (January 20, 2012). Finding lasting solutions to the food crisis. Retrieved from: http://www.care-international.org/news/stories-and-blogs/emergency-response/somalia-finding-lasting-solutions-to-the-food-crisis.aspx.

Erdnemunkh, Orkhon. (October 10, 2014). The Cause of Food Shortage in Somalia. EIL 320 paper written at Brigham Young University-Hawaii.
IFPRI (2002). Fighting Famine in Southern Africa. Retrieved from: http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/pubs/pubs/ib/ib8.pdf.
Ross, Will. (July 21.2011). Desperate plight of famine-hit refugees in Somalia. Retrieved from: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14244186.
York, Geoffrey. (May 2, 2013). The Somali famine: an African crisis. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/the-somali-famine-an-african-crisis/article11692968/.