Global warming and Somaliland’s ‘climate refugees’
Pastoralist lifestyle of nomads is under threat from repeated drought and cyclones
By Kevin O'Sullivan, Environment & Science Editor
If a single drought is classified as an environmental bullet, what is facing Somaliland in the Horn of Africa is rapid machine-gun fire. The increasingly aggressive antagonist is global heating.
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On a recent visit to assess conditions on the ground and preparedness that has become critical to countering the worst effects of drought, Concern Worldwide’s media relations manager Eamon Timmins underlines the importance of assessing firsthand the impact climate change is having on some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. “The people of Somaliland are facing into their second severe drought in three years,” he says.
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“Climate change is not an issue to be dealt with in the future, an issue for our children or grandchildren. It’s here and it’s killing people now. The communities in Somaliland are among the 45 million people in countries across the Horn of Africa, east Africa and southern Africa who will not be able to grow sufficient food for themselves this year as a result of drought,” he adds.
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Visiting rural areas in the Awdal region reveals how the building of a covered rainwater tank after the 2017 drought is helping to bridge dry seasons. A pilot farm which Concern set up with Irish Aid support nearby confirms crop diversification pays and increases food security. A simple net and steel frame enables a nursery and seed bank to be built. A plastic-lined pit retains rainwater and helps to keep crops alive during dry periods.
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