* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Adjitti Mahamat ,40, cooks the one big meal a day for as many as ten children, including Kadija Ahmat 2, (on her back). Kassira Village, Guera province, Chad. 13/2/12
Adjitti Mahamat ,40, cooks the one big meal a day consisting of maize meal and a suace containing the leaves of the eucalyptus tree, for as many as ten children, including L-R, Zhara Ahmat,12, Rhakie Ahmat, Syame, Adidje Ahmat (in blue dress), Khassim Ahmat and Maimouna Ahmat (white dress). Kassira Village, Guera province, Chad. 13/2/12
Koubra Hamid sits in front of their house in Salal. All their food for the week to feed the family of 8 sits in front of them - 5 kgs of rice and 5kgs of maize flour. Koubra had to travel to the market in Moussoro (6 hours away from their village by car) to buy this food. She was forced to sell her animals to pay for it. It's a last resort and the downward spiral towards crisis is hastened by the cruelty of the market - in difficult times like these, when everyone is selling weak animals, they get sold for less while scare cereals, in high demand, are more expensive.
Zeneba Louki (67) left, with Etta Brahim (36) outside her home with her children (L-R), Saleh Mahamad(7), Moussa Mahamed(5), Mohamed Ali (2) and Fatima Moussa (2). Her elder sister Ashta hamid is in red. A week's worth of food for the whole family in the white bag.
In 2012, countries accross the Sahel region once again, are facing a serious food crisis. this ecologically fragile region is becoming increasingly vunerable to continuing insufficient rainfall and fluctuating animal and food prises that are affecting millions of pastoralist and agro-pastoralists across this region of Africa. Etta Brahim (36) outside her home with her children (L-R), Saleh Mahamad(7), Moussa Mahamed(5), Mohamed Ali (2) and Fatima Moussa (2). Here is the contents of Etta's supply of food that is left for the family. 7/2/12. Andrabad village, Northern Chad.
Hamra Housman, 30, (left, in pink headscarf) is with daughter Roumane moussa showing what is left of the food she has, to feed her 5 children. Hamra is participating in a cash-for-work scheme run by Oxfam that consists of the women of Labado village building irrigation channels on the fields in anticipation of the next rains that will hopefully arrive to water the crops. Hamra arrives in the field at 7 and finishes at 11. she says: "The point of this work is that when it rains water will stay in the field. It will allow us to cultivate our field. We never know, this year the season was bad, next year might be better. In this field, I'd like to sow mill (Millet) and gombo. If Hamra had money, she says she'd buy Mill and nothing else.
In 2012, countries accross the Sahel region once again, are facing a serious food crisis. this ecologically fragile region is becoming increasingly vunerable to continuing insufficient rainfall and fluctuating animal and food prises that are affecting millions of pastoralist and agro-pastoralists across this region of Africa. Etta Brahim Senussi (right) (36) outside her home with her children (L-R), Saleh Mahamad(7), Moussa Mahamed(5), Mohamed Ali (2) and Fatima Moussa (2). Her sister Fatima Senussi is to the left, with neighbour Zeneba Louki. In front of them is their supply of food for the forseeable future. 7/2/12. Andrabad village, Northern Chad.
In 2012 countries across the Sahel region are once again facing a serious food crisis. This ecologically fragile region is becoming increasingly vunerable to insufficient rainfall, and fluctuating animal and food prices that are affecting millions of Pastoral and Agro-pastoralists accross this region of Africa. Grazing areas for their livestock are also fast disappearing, and as a result, their livelyhoods are being threatened as desertification takes its grip. Staple foods being
sold at the market in Moussoro. Bahr El Ghazal province, Northern Chad. 9/02/12
Adjitti Mahamat ,40, cooks the one big meal a day consisting of local maize meal and a sauce with leaves from the eucalyptus tree, for as many as ten children. Kassira Village, Guera province, Chad. 13/2/12
Etta Brahim Senussi's kitchen (36) outside her home. . 7/2/12. Andrabad village, Northern Chad.
This photo-blog is part of AlertNet’s Solutions for a Hungry World story package.
