Drought issues/ other necessities for food plan(security) - Essay Example

Due Food Sustainability in Tanzania Most of us living in the United s today do not know what is like to be unable to eat, because there is simply no food to eat, more so, there may not be food the next day, or the next. However, in place, like Tanzania, this is a very real issue. High poverty rates have contributed to serious malnutrition in children as young as five years old, which are, often, as much as, 22% under weight. (Rapaport, 2011) Much of the great poverty that has occurred in Tanzania is a result of failed crops, primarily due to seeds that cannot withstand drought conditions.

There is, also, issues of limited or inefficient food storage, lack of a stable infrastructure, and a Iimited availability of receiving credit when times are lean.("Tanzania seeds: Disaster," 2012) In a country where it may only rain 5 times in a given season finding crops that will withstand Tanzania’s drought climate is essential. Many initiatives have been established to participate in solving this problem and improving the agricultural crisis occurring in Tanzania. The Food and Agriculture Organization, FOA, developed the “Disaster Response and Preparedness to Drought” project, donating large quantities of sustainable seeds that will grow into healthy crops.

They, also, set up a trade market allowing framers to gain vouchers, based on their economic need, and provided them with, not only seed, but also, tools and farm implements, which, of course, will make planting and harvesting of their crops more efficient and, likely, more successful. In turn, the crops these farmers now plant will produce more sustainable seeds that these farmers can then sell at trade fairs in other parts of the country. ("Tanzania seeds: Disaster," 2012) Global Services Corps is an organization that gathers volunteers who are interested and eager to travel to countries, like Tanzania, with a program called the “Sustainable Agriculture & Food Security Services Learning Program.

” As a volunteer with this program, participants will help in the teaching of communities in positive and sustainable agricultural solutions. The volunteers will interact with the local peoples to learn bio-intensive agriculture, like composting and small organic farming, sack gardens, a means for families with limited space to grow a garden that will improve their diets, poultry vaccinations, and catching rainwater. There are two, particularly, important lessons valuable to the people of Tanzania.

The first, is implementing improved grain storage, which prevents unnecessary grain loss. The second, is the need for food drying techniques, which allows items to be properly dried, stored, and prepared later or in times when food is limited.("Gsc sustainable agriculture," 2008) In the end, the different organization participating and, in some cases, collaborating to decrease the level of poverty and aid Tanzanian farmers to grow sustainable crops once again is very worthwhile. More importantly, as discussed in the video, the point is not to create a Tanzania completely and perpetually dependent upon outside monies or seed donations, but, instead, allowing them to harvest the new seeds the crops yield, they can sustain their crops and benefit from the sale of future seeds.

("Tanzania seeds: Disaster," 2012) These sorts of programs are making it possible for Tanzania farmers to become, eventually, self sustaining and capable of feeding their families and contributing to their local economies, as well. Hunger and starvation is a significant and tragic occurrence. It is quite moving and inspiring to see that so many organizations, government agencies, and volunteers working to end this kind of tragedy in Tanzania and all over the world. ReferencesRapaport, G. (2011, April 1).

[Web log message]. Retrieved from http://blog.usaid.gov/2011/04/feed-the-future-initiative-in-tanzania-–-a-sustainable-agricultural-and-food-security-approach/Gsc sustainable agriculture & food security program in tanzania. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.globalservicecorps.org/site/tanzania-agriculture-and-food/Tanzania seeds: Disaster response and drought preparedness [Web series episode]. (2012). In FAO: Disaster response and Drought preparedness. You Tube. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szXS5WotTlk