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Despite early warning, drought strikes hard on Greater Horn of Africa
According to the UN estimates, at least 11 million people in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are in crisis, making this the regions worst drought in a decade. The impact of drought has been most severe in pastoral areas on the EthiopiaKenyaSomalia border, with reports of malnutrition
levels far beyond emergency thresholds. In this Briefing Note, ODI points out that despite the advances made by the early warning facilities like Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) and the Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU) for Somalia, as well as Kenyas Early Warning System (EWS), as early as in November 2005, appropriate disaster-reduction measures have not been undertaken.
The drought in Greater Horn of Africa reminds us that ICT alone is not helpful in mitigating human problems. By sending advance warning, it can help mankind take adequate precautions for saving human lives. But, institutional systems are to be built up for developing effective strategies for coping up with the human vulnurabilities with the help of ICTs.
ODI. Saving lives through livelihoods: Critical gaps in the response to the drought in the Greater Horn of Africa. London: ODI, 2006. 5p. Online: ODI.
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