Facing a sixth consecutive failed rainy season, countries in the Horn of Africa are staring at the region’s worst drought in at least 70 years. This, research shows, would not have happened without climate change.
As crops fail and livestock dies out, families are being forced to go without food. More than 20 million people now face severe levels of food insecurity in the region, with the onset of flash flooding in Somalia now further complicating the crisis situation. Several East African nations appeared in the recent UN report “Hunger Hotspots”, which identifies countries where food insecurity is particularly severe and likely to deteriorate.
It is imperative to find ways to connect these struggling families to food supplies, both as an urgent response to the current crisis and to build long-term resilience. Food banking is not only one of the most efficient ways to respond to hunger, but it is also a natural extension of the history and culture of giving and support across Africa.
For instance, in the 2022 World Giving Index, Kenya is the second-most generous country in the world, where the cultural tradition of harambee – meaning “all pull together” in Swahili – has long provided a sense of togetherness.
Many other African countries, like Sierra Leone, Zambia, and Nigeria, were also found to be notably generous. According to the index data, people across the continent are especially likely to help out strangers in need of assistance; in Kenya, 77 percent of respondents have helped someone they did not know in the previous year.
Food banking is a natural progression of this tradition where families support those facing difficulties or crises, and they can serve an invaluable role in responding to hunger crises.
