Africa has been plagued by drought and famine throughout history. Famine in Africa has become an integral part of annual life. hunger in Africais sometimes a result of conflicts between rivals, diplomatic relations and the lack of a media presence to project the situation of things to outsiders mean that these countries are slow to react until the situation becomes critical. Africa has a comparatively benign soil and atmosphere capable of supporting a wide range of African foods, but many factors, ranging from simple food preservation techniques to wars and conflicts, combine to bring about deadly periods of famine in Africa, even as growth appears to be increasing economies in specific regions. This article sheds light on some of Africa’s cruelest famines.
The deadliest famines in Africa
10. Famine in Somalia (2010-2012)
This is one of the most devastating famines in Africa, around 260,000 people died during the famine in Somalia between 2010 and 2012. Devastated by famine a decade ago, nearly 5% of Somalia’s population died as a result of famine. More than half of the victims were children under the age of 6. Although signs of a drought had been known since 2010, countries outside the US waited until the famine hit its crisis to intervene. In July 2011, the United Nations officially declared famine in Somalia.
An estimated 4.6 percent of the total population and 10 percent of children under the age of five died in southern and central Somalia,” the report said, adding that deaths during the period were in addition to 290,000 “basic deaths,” and were the average for sub-Saharan Africa According to the United Nations, more than a million Somalis were refugees in surrounding nations, another million were displaced in the country and around 2.7 million people needed life-saving assistance.
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9. Famine in Sudan (1998)
In 1998, Sudan suffered a catastrophic famine caused by drought and a lack of appropriate action; Fragile infrastructure caused by civil conflicts between southern rebels and the government slowed aid and exacerbated famine. A combination of civil war and pre-existing drought led to famine that killed over 70,000 Sudanese. Again, warning signs of impending catastrophe were ignored in what is now referred to as a “humanitarian catastrophe”. Despite aid agencies being asked to provide additional assistance, aid plane flights to the war-torn country have at times been postponed or thwarted by the Sudanese government.
8. Famine in Somalia (1991-92)
Events in Somalia in the early 1990s, the country was designated as one of the places for the most atrocious famines in Africa. In addition to the 300,000 deaths, up to 2 million Somalis have been displaced from their homes as a result of this massive famine. Since 1991, when dictator Mohammed Siad Barre was the leader, Somalia has been in a state of political turmoil and civil war as the citizens were ravaged by the hunger crisis. They no longer had a government and depended on foreign nations to come to their aid. Eventually, the American government responded by sending in relief supplies and supplies.
7. Famine in Ethiopia (1983-1985)
One of the worst famines in Africa occurred in Ethiopia, which has been structurally food deprived since at least the 1980s. The food gap increased from 0.75 million tons in 1979/80 to 5 million tons in 1993/94, and declined to 2.6 million tons in 1995/96 despite a record harvest (Befekadu and Berhanu 2000:176). Even this year, 240,000 tonnes of food aid has been delivered, suggesting that unless temporary production shocks occur, millions of Ethiopians will face chronic food insecurity. (Devereaux)
Unprepared for the dry season they would, Ethiopia faced a nationwide famine in 1984–85. According to the United Nations, over 1 million people died during this famine. Although many nations sent money and food aid to Ethiopia, many of the supplies were not actually used by the government; Food was left to rot and funds used to purchase arms and artillery supplies.
6. Famine in Uganda
Between 1980 and 1983, a quarter of a million people in northwestern Uganda were at risk of starvation because unrest and drought had cut harvests by two-thirds. This was one of the greatest threats to famine in Africa, and 30,000 Ugandans died of famine in 1980–81. Only a few years later, Uganda would face famine again.
5. Famine in Ethiopia (1950 – 1973)
The famous “Famine Face” by Birhan Woldu from 1984. (CBC / Phillipe Billard)
The drought that began in the 1950s peaked between 1972 and 1973 and left more than 60,000 Ethiopians to die of famine. The plants died in extremely dry conditions and the citizens were left without a source of food. Although relief was granted, the Ethiopian government resented the famine and repeatedly refused any outside aid.
4. Famine in the Sahel
The Sahel is not necessarily a country but a region that experienced one of the worst famines in Africa between 1968 and 1972 due to its multi-year catastrophic drought. The Sahel faced one of the world’s most devastating famines, killing over a million people in total. Since 1973, a special sector called The United Nations Sahelian Office has been created within the United Nations specifically dedicated to assisting the Sahel region.
In 2010, a massive catastrophic drought hit the African Sahel and many parts of the neighboring Sénégal River Area between February and August 2010 and it would be one of many famines to have hit the region in recent times and there is still speculation that it will There is a looming hunger as leading indicators suggest that a widespread food crisis is sweeping Africa’s Sahel region, while some aid organizations claim it has already arrived in the most vulnerable areas.
3. Famine in Nigeria
Nigeria faced famine from 1967 to 1970 due to a blockade of a territory known as Biafra by the Nigerian government, which was struggling to relegate itself. Through this blockade, the Nigerian government was able to prevent Nigerian citizens (Biafrans) from accessing food aid. Most attempts to help, unwilling to support the Nigerian government, were turned down. As a result, over a million people starved to death. Thus, Nigeria was one of the countries on the continent that caused man-made famines in Africa.
2. Famine in Tigray, Ethiopia
In 1958, a famine in Tigray resulted in a death toll of about 100,000 people. Often considered one of the poorest areas in the world, little government assistance was offered. Unfortunately, most of the relief that was sent in didn’t make it to the Tigray citizens.
1. Famine in Rwanda / Burundi
From 1943 to 1944, both Rwanda and Burundi faced drought conditions that resulted in crop death and a major famine that left 300,000 dead or displaced. In 2012, there was another starvation threat that affected Burundi. Around 800 families with over 4,000 people from Busoni are said to have fled their homes. More than 100,000 people were starving in Kirundo, around 230 kilometers northeast of the capital Bujumbura.