'Food aid isn't enough'
2005-08-17 11:18
London - Nomadic herdsmen stricken by the hunger crisis sweeping northwest Africa need more than emergency food aid to save their way of life, the British-based aid agency Oxfam said on Tuesday.
Oxfam said its recent survey of 295 households, or about 3 500 people, in a hard-hit area of southern Niger showed nomads had lost on average 70% of their animals.
"Food aid alone will not solve this crisis," said Natasha Kofoworola Quist, Oxfam's regional director for West Africa. "The emergency response must go hand in hand with sustained assistance for Niger's nomads."
Suicides are losing cattle
Oxfam's survey and conclusions echoed reports from the area of herdsman from the traditionally nomadic Tuareg and Fulani tribes committing suicide after losing the cattle they regard as their most precious possessions. Some have lost their entire herds. Others from the tribes known for taking great pride in being self-sufficient have spoken of the humiliation of being forced to depend on international relief agencies.
"To these people, losing your animals is like losing your life savings," Oxfam's Kofoworola Quist said. "Without their animals, they have no means of survival. Twelve centuries of nomadic culture are threatened with extinction if these people do not get long-term help to rebuild their livelihoods."
Food is usually scarce in Niger and neighbouring countries hugging the Sahara. A locust invasion last year followed by drought have made the problem even worse, particularly in Niger but also in Mali, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. The Tuareg and Fulani live throughout the region, roaming in search of pasture for their cows.
- AP