The situation is very serious and if we don't respond now, things will get worse. About 12 million people in six countries are experiencing famine or the threat of famine. Families that have not fully recovered from the drought in 1992, or that were affected by the floods two years ago, and those families that are affected by HIV/AIDS are most at risk. Though communities are working hard to stretch their resources and taking on projects to mitigate the negative impact of the drought, many families just don't have the capacity to feed themselves until the next harvest in early 2003.

Q: What are some of the causes of the crisis?

The immediate causes of the crisis are drought, flooding and low levels of crop planting. Chronic poverty and inadequate policies are the underlying causes, and make families vulnerable to famine.

Q: You have worked in Africa for more than 25 years. How does this compare to previous disasters you have experienced?

In my experience, this is the worst natural disaster since the drought of 1992, which impacted 18 million people. If we do not respond quickly and effectively, it will become more serious than the last drought. The difference, and what makes this even more of a risk, is the impact of HIV/AIDS on the region and the political situation in Zimbabwe. But if there is a bright spot in all of this, it’s that organizations like CARE and communities didn’t wait for the worst before they took action. As the drought became more serious, communities worked with us to implement irrigation projects and gain access to drought-resistant crops.

Q: Describe the regional approach your team is using to respond. What are the benefits of this? Potential complications?

Acting unilaterally in a handful of countries is not the most effective approach to combating a crisis of this magnitude. So, CARE is combining efforts and resources with other organizations to respond both in the countries where we are we are working, and to try to play a larger, more regional role in influencing policymakers and governments to ensure effective response. Furthermore, each organization can bring complementary skills and staff. If we act together we can advocate for regional policies that will help mitigate this present crisis and help prevent this from recurring in the future.

Q: Regionally speaking, what more needs to be done to head off future food crises?

Policies for mitigating famine lie on a spectrum ranging from responding effectively to the present crisis so that people don't lose their current livelihoods to continuing the development work that CARE and other organizations are doing. Future famines are dependant on the ability of families to cope with the inevitable shocks that they experience. Central to this are policies that put people at the center of government efforts.

International organizations have a role to play in complimenting this effort.