Famine
Refers to AQA AS Geography (Chapter 8 - Health Issues)
What are the solutions to famine and do any issues arise from short-term aid?
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?- Created by: Bethany
- Created on: 13-04-13 14:34
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- Famine
- What is famine?
- Most famines result from a combination of natural events and human mismanagement.
- Sometimes referred to as a decline in the access to food (rather than a decline in food produced)
- Not always widespread e.g. localised, small group or social class
- In famine stricken areas, not uncommon to see food in markets or even exported.
- Why do famines occur?
- Drought- lack of rainfall causes groundwater soil sources to decline so limited supply of water. Soil fails to meet needs of plants = bad harvest.
- A population increase greater than rate of crop/food production (due to sudden influx of refugees, or as people migrate between drought zones)
- Rapid rise in the price of animals or food - Can occur when the quality of farmland declines, further worsened by breakdown of local economy. Leads to panic buying and shortages.
- Short-term aid
- Famine Relief
- Distributing food
- Carried out by NGOs e.g. Oxfam, Red Cross, Save the Children and also governments.
- Temporary in nature as it may damage local economy or result in overdependence.
- Long term responses
- Helping people to develop a more productive system of farming in order to PREVENT another famine.
- Encouragement of increased fertiliser use and new, high-yielding seeds.
- Improvement to systems so produce reaches market more efficiently.
- Cancelling national debts
- Issues related to famine relief
- Disaster fatigue- modern communications publicise news quickly but can lead to a feeling of helplessness in donors as yet another disaster occurs.
- The cost of providing relief as all NGOs have overheads which charity donors may question.
- The type of food provided- must be non-perishable and easily transported whilst also reflecting local tastes. e.g. Powdered milk to Ethiopia during drought was foolish as there was no clean water to make it up.
- Infrastructure to deliver aid - Should be a port or airport to enter the country as well as adequate roads to deliver by lorry.
- Coordination between aid agencies and national governments, essential when famine is in area of civil unrest.
- Targeting aid- How do we identify those most in need?
- What is famine?
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