Drought: Causes And Consequences

Consequences of Drought
Drought is like a cancerous tumor. It initially introduces itself as an unnoticeable discomfort. If not resolved or dealt with, it manifests into an uncontrollable and destructive force that invades every aspect of daily life. In some cases it causes irreversible damage, leaving a scar that can never be fully healed. A drought is described as an extended duration of time with an absence of resources, usually a lack of water and/or sources of water. The absence of water sources has been a problem for as long as time itself and continues to negatively impact lives today. This is noticeably similar, but not to be confused with, poverty. Poverty is also an inadequacy of resources but is typically associated with economic,

To being with, the organization known as the World Food Programme is a branch of the United Nations and the world’s largest humanitarian organization working to address hunger and food security. They concluded that “Drought is one of the most common causes of food shortages in the world.” In 2011 they reported “Recurrent drought caused crop failures and heavy livestock losses in parts of Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya” (World Food Programme). This demonstrates how absence of water sources and absence of food sources go hand in hand. As a consequence of the drought causing a decrease in harvest, many places where farming is the main origin of food supply experience a famine due to the reduction in crops. Another example of this is in the memoir The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind written by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. The narrator, William, explains how his family due to deficit of produce and raised prices have to “start cutting back” (Kamkwamba & Mealer) on meals. His family lives in Malawi and like most other Malawians they make an income and provide for themselves through farming. So when crop production declines, William’s father tells him they need to start stretching out what little they have and William explains “breakfast was the first to go, I wondered what was next” (Kamkwamba and Mealer, 91). Because of the shortage in resources, including water, the harvest and amount of crops are constrained. Food becomes scarce and people are forced to begin cutting back on meals in order to preserve what they have. This leads to malnourishment, and eventually famine. Moreover, a final illustration of this is also in the memoir The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind. While experiencing the full effects of famine himself, William clarifies that “drought hurt the smaller villages the most since the tiny farms had to feed large families year-round. The slightest problem in weather, fertilizer, or