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How AI in Cuba Can Help Improve Living Standards in Cuba

AI in Cuba
In 2019, the island of Cuba announced that it would collaborate with China to build an institution dedicated to the development of artificial intelligence (AI), with the aim of displaying AI’s “capacity and potential” to diversify technology and be beneficial for Cuban society. The Hebei University of International Studies is based in China and is under the direction of Dr. Yailé Caballero, one of the leading Cuban scientists of AI and international relations. This new facility is symbolic of the potential benefits of AI in Cuba to help reduce poverty and improve living standards in the country and has boosted interest in AI among Cuban scientists since it was announced.

The Way AI Can Detect Weather

In early 2023, the Institute of Meteorology of Cuba began work on a project that uses AI to forecast periods of drought or heavy rainfall. By estimating the behavior of rainfall and droughts up to a year in advance, AI can be used in collaboration with farmers to preserve crop yield and prepare for adverse weather patterns. 

How AI Can Reduce Malnutrition and Food Poverty in Cuba

While recent efforts by social security services and the World Food Programme (WFP) have proved very effective in reducing levels of malnutrition and food poverty in Cuba, inflation levels have skyrocketed in recent times, slowing this progress. If a crop has a very low yield due to drought/excess rainfall, basic laws of supply and demand tell us that because there is less of it, the price of food will increase. With AI being able to forecast these weather patterns, the Cuban agricultural industry, in collaboration with water companies, is able to take necessary precautions and inform decision-making to keep yield high and prices down. 

With lower prices and greater availability of food, living standards in Cuba are likely to increase as a direct result of AI. A report by the Economist Group found that AI should boost the GDP of Latin American economies by 5%, incentivizing investment in AI technology. Cuban agriculture is the nation’s largest industry and employs roughly 18% of the population, meaning that the use of AI to protect farming by forecasting weather patterns months in advance will also help to secure employment and wages for 2 million people. This shelters a significant portion of the population from the risk of poverty and upholds living standards in the country. 

How AI Can Help Allocate Resources

Another way that AI could improve living standards in Cuba is in the allocation of resources. Cuba’s economy is centrally planned, meaning that the government exercises control over most economic planning through state-run companies. However, the impact of COVID-19, tight U.S. sanctions and a drop in oil supply from Venezuela have contributed to stagnant economic growth. A report from the Human Rights Commission found that certain algorithms that utilize AI can provide a more effective allocation of resources. By reducing government inefficiencies, money is better spent on programs that can boost Cuban living standards and alleviate those living in poverty. 

While AI is still in its early development in Cuba, future plans for extra funding are likely to spur further innovation in the industry, especially once the benefits of using AI in agriculture and resource allocation are fully realized. It is important that Cuba not only rely on AI to boost living standards but instead employ it as an instrument for its pre-existing (and fairly successful) poverty alleviation programs. 

– Tom Lowe
Photo: Flickr

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Solutions to Child Poverty in Saint Lucia After COVID-19

Child Poverty in Saint Lucia
When the COVID-19 virus spread out into the world in 2020, it caused hardships for all countries. People feared contracting the virus but were also impacted by entire countries shutting down, putting citizens indefinitely out of work. Saint Lucia was one small Caribbean island whose children felt the burden of their parents’ lack of income. Child poverty in Saint Lucia, a country with a population of 180,000, rose to 34.5% in 2021.

In 2020, the economic and social impact on households was directly related to the closing of schools, businesses and the border itself. This led to a reduction in income due to job loss and restriction of hours. In addition, many citizens were unable to work due to their health. The biggest impact lies in the hotel and tourism sectors, with 33,000 people impacted by the shutting down of hotels, restaurants and retail stores, according to a United Nations presentation of the Saint Lucia Economic Stimulus, Recovery and Resilience Strategy. In a survey of citizens, “30% of households ran out of food once or more during the 30 days prior to the survey.” For poor households, “nearly 50% experience[ed] a time when they ran out of food.”

Effects of the COVID-19 Virus on Child Labor

The accumulation of this loss of income has increased child poverty in Saint Lucia. Many children had to take jobs such as street vending to provide for their families. However, it also led to more dangerous options, such as drug and sex trafficking. In 2020, the government began a revision of the Labor Act to address issues that did not meet the Labor Department’s mandates. It also approved the Counter-Trafficking Amendment Act, which protects victims of trafficking regardless of citizenship.

Saint Lucia took several other steps to eliminate child poverty and child labor. Its efforts included increased labor inspectors, updated standard operating procedures and a minimum age for work of 15. This allowed children to stay in school until legally able to work. It also passed a prohibition on forced labor and child trafficking. Labor enforcement funding has also risen from $392,313 in 2020 to $496,296 in 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. St. Lucia also employed twice the number of inspectors in 2021 who were being trained before going out into the field and offered refresher courses for them. 

Organizations Assisting Relief Efforts in Saint Lucia

On December 16, 2021, the Saint Lucia Ministry of Equity, UNICEF and the UN met for a development session on the impact and effects of the COVID-19 virus. They conferred together about the different measures that can be taken to learn from this pandemic. They also explored the extent of aid from social assistance responses. The World Food Programme (WFP) also stepped up in favor of the Income Support Program, which provided $1,500 each to more than 4,800 people unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, UNICEF donated up to $400 from July to September 2020 to children in foster care and $300 to the Child Disability Grant. The Public Assistance Program was able to accommodate an additional 1,000 households from November 2020 to April 2021, thanks to funding from the World Food Programme ($229,610) and the India UN ($500,000). 

However, citizens did not sit around waiting for assistance to find them. Despite the decrease in crucial tourist revenue, 16 hotels prepared and distributed meals to those impacted by the economic shutdown. In two months, they served 19,131 meals to those affected. 

The COVID-19 pandemic affected all families, but work is occurring to pull children off this path and into a promising future. “The highest poverty reduction effect overall would be achieved by supporting a large number of households (bottom 40%), followed by a universal child grant,” said the United Nations. “Support to all children would also achieve the highest reduction in the child poverty rate.” A better future for children means a better future for their country. 

– Jennifer Arias
Photo: Pixabay

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Addressing Diseases Impacting Syria

Diseases Impacting SyriaSyria, a nation with a rich cultural history tragically torn apart by years of conflict, has faced a complex crisis that extends beyond the frontline. The devastation of war is evident in the physical destruction of cities and the displacement of millions, but what is less often mentioned is the destruction caused by diseases impacting Syria.

The Syrian conflict has caused widespread damage to health care and sanitation facilities as well as the resettlement of 5.7 million people into crowded refugee camps where poverty is rife. The spread of these diseases and poverty goes hand-in-hand for multiple reasons. Firstly, malnutrition associated with poverty compromises the individual’s immune system and can make people more susceptible to disease. Secondly, crowded, unsanitary conditions associated with poverty are ripe for the spread of disease. This, coupled with a lack of access to basic health care, has meant that diseases such as cholera, tuberculosis and leishmaniasis (a parasitic infection that sandflies spread) are common and widespread. The sheer number of recorded cases speaks for itself in terms of just how common these diseases impacting Syria are:

Obstacles to Tackle to Eliminate Diseases Impacting Syria

  1. Extensive Damage to Health Care Infrastructure. Hospitals across the nation have been subject to airstrikes, and medical professionals have fled the country, leaving essential medical supplies in chronic short supply. Syrian and Russian forces deliberately targeted hospitals as a war strategy, and U.S. bombing campaigns dropped 60 bombs per day on Syria and Iraq in 2016, causing severe damage to health care facilities. This kind of breakdown in health care infrastructure disproportionately affects the poor, who are often unable to access or afford even basic health care services. Organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders have provided vital aid since the outbreak of the conflict in 2011 by supporting existing health care facilities and delivering medical equipment. Its efforts have resulted in the treatment of more than 1,017,900 patients in Syria in 2022 alone. The fantastic work by organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières, coupled with repairing health care infrastructure, will be a vital step in eliminating the diseases impacting Syria.
  2. Lack of Sanitation. Approximately 35% of Syrians lack access to safe drinking water, putting them at risk of waterborne diseases. The conflict in Syria has forced millions to become internally displaced or seek refuge in neighboring countries. Unsanitary living conditions in refugee camps provide fertile ground for the spread of diseases, as it is nearly impossible to maintain basic hygiene in such conditions. The lack of access to clean water, sanitation facilities and proper nutrition exacerbates the vulnerability of displaced populations to these diseases. However, concerted efforts are being made to improve sanitation and malnutrition in Syria. During the first half of 2019, UNICEF reached 2.1 million people in Syria with improved and sustained access to safe water. The World Food Programme (WFP) also provides food to 5.4 million people a month in Syria. By supporting organizations on the ground to improve sanitation in Syria, the crisis of disease could become a thing of the past.
  3. Economic Devastation. The economic impact of the Syrian conflict has been monumental. Syria’s GDP shrank by more than half between 2010 and 2020, and war has decimated the country’s economy, leading to skyrocketing unemployment levels of 9.6%. As a result, an estimated 90% of the population lives below the poverty line. Families who were once self-sufficient now struggle to meet their basic needs. Poverty is closely associated with malnutrition, weakened immune systems and limited access to health care. These conditions make individuals more susceptible to diseases and less able to recover when illness strikes. In turn, illness can lead to further economic hardship, as medical expenses and lost wages further strain already fragile budgets. Tackling diseases impacting Syria could involve remedying the great economic hardship facing the nation today.

Looking Ahead

While the situation in Syria is serious, international organizations and humanitarian groups continue to provide assistance. These organizations work tirelessly to deliver medical supplies, food and clean water to affected populations. Breaking the cycle of disease and poverty could require collaborative international efforts to provide aid and work toward sustainable peace in the region.

– Genevieve Martin
Photo: Pexels

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Share The Meal – The App Eliminating Food Insecurity in Haiti

Eliminating Food Insecurity in Haiti
In an age where technology and electronic devices are at many people’s fingertips, global inequities can appear even starker — as William Gibson stated, “The future is already here, it’s just not evenly distributed.” The world’s 2 billion smartphones outnumber its hungry children by 20 to one. But apps such as Share The Meal are pioneering new ways to use the power of our smartphones to help those living in poverty and food insecurity.

Food Insecurity in Haiti

As the poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean, Haiti’s poverty rate reached almost 60% in 2020, and it is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world with regard to food insecurity. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), almost half of the Haitian population — 4.9 million people — are underfed, and 1.8 million are at dangerous levels of food insecurity. Because of this, children are malnourished and underweight, and 66% of children under the age of 5 are anemic, affecting their early-stage development.

One of the main reasons for food insecurity in Haiti is poor agricultural performance. Although roughly two in three people in the Haitian workforce have employment within the agricultural sector, agriculture only actually accounts for 25% of Haiti’s gross domestic product.

More than 40% of Haitian land is under cultivation although only 20% of its land is even suitable for agriculture. Poor soil quality and soil erosion are among the leading problems with the land, and environmental issues such as droughts and lack of irrigation make it difficult to grow crops on land which does not have soil issues.

Haiti, therefore, relies heavily on importing food, which exposes its food market to price rises and inflation from the international market. The food insecurity situation has been desperate in recent years, but this could all change due to the development of an app eliminating food insecurity in Haiti.

Share The Meal App

The United Nations World Food Programme is helping people connect with the fight to end world hunger via a smartphone application called Share The Meal. Users of the app can support relief campaigns in poverty-stricken places all over the world at the touch of a button, whether they give one meal or one year’s worth. One meal that the WFP supplies costs only $0.80 (USD) or £0.65 (GBP), and according to WFP data, more than 150 million meals have been shared since the launch of the app in 2015.

The WFP aims to reach and support 512 million people via Share The Meal in 2023. The app allows users to choose a campaign or “goal” to donate to, which gives recipients nutrition support, agricultural support, school meals and emergency assistance depending on their needs.

Eliminating Food Insecurity in Haiti

Many people are choosing to support eliminating food insecurity in Haiti through Share The Meal’s “Improve Food Security for Families in Haiti” campaign. Haitians taking part in this poverty-fighting initiative receive cash support from the WFP donations to build protective measures for their agricultural sector, such as restoring local ecosystems to act as barriers to the climate, soil and water conservation efforts and providing local farmers with essential training on how to boost agriculture.

The WFP, with Share The Meal, is building more long-term solutions in Limbé in the Nord Department of Haiti, so people have better access to food and water, and food production is more steady and sustained. Repairing irrigation canals and planting trees such as pineapple and elephant grass are helping to reduce flooding and protect existing crops, allowing for the successful cultivation of more crops. This has promoted more sustainable ecosystems and facilitated a better standard of nutrition and is gradually eliminating food insecurity in Haiti. Funds that Share The Meal raise have also allowed for a 6,000-gallon reservoir to be built, which is providing locals with access to clean drinking water, as well as a reliable source of water to tend their crops.

The Haitian government is also working with WFP to provide school meals from local agricultural produce. This system involves the procurement of rice, fruit and vegetables from smallholder farmers, which gives them not only a more stable market for their goods but allows them to contribute to the nourishment of local children and help with eliminating food insecurity.

Overall, Share the Meal is working not only to improve food security, but it is equipping Haitians with the tools they need to strengthen their agricultural knowledge and resources, which is eliminating food insecurity in Haiti due to the shortcomings of the agricultural sector. The success of this Share The Meal campaign is a reminder of how impactful our decisions as smartphone users can be, and how technology can help in the fight against global poverty.

– Molly Wallace
Photo: Flickr

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Aid to Developing Countries Face Extreme Weather Conditions

Extreme Weather Conditions
Developing countries are set to receive $100 billion worth of funding from wealthy countries to combat extreme weather conditions. In 2009, wealthy countries pledged to commit $100 billion annually from 2020 onward to disadvantaged countries struggling with the impacts of changing weather patterns. However, only now, three years after the pledge, these countries are on track to fully meet this commitment. On May 2, 2023, more than 40 country representatives met in Berlin, Germany, to discuss effective ways to tackle harsh weather changes.

Severe Weather Changes

Currently, the change in weather patterns is affecting people worldwide, from dried-up lakes in California and rising sea levels in Venice to mega-droughts in Somalia and floods in South Sudan. Extreme weather conditions most harshly affect impoverished people due to their dependence on vulnerable sectors such as agriculture.

In sub-Saharan Africa, 65% of the labor force works in agriculture. Floods and droughts not only destroy their source of income but also their sources of food. Extreme weather events also increase the risk and transmission of diseases such as cholera and malaria, especially among impoverished populations with high exposure to these diseases and limited access to health care.

Furthermore, impoverished people struggle to recover from extreme weather events due to a lack of access to insurance and credit. A lack of education and lack of access to information also stand as barriers to achieving climatic resilience.

The Situation in Somalia and South Sudan

Recent reports show that Somalia’s last rainfall season (October to December 2022) consisted of below-average rainfall for the fifth consecutive year, depleting water sources in the country and increasing droughts. The country is one of the worst drought-affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2011, after three back-to-back seasons without sufficient rain, the country experienced a famine that led to the deaths of about 250,000 people, with children accounting for half of this number.

Due to continuing extreme weather conditions, in the first quarter of 2023, the World Food Programme (WFP) forecasted that 6.3 million Somalis will face crisis levels of food insecurity or worse and more than 320,000 people will face catastrophic levels of food insecurity (the highest insecurity level) out of Somalia’s 17.1 million population.

South Sudan is currently facing its worst humanitarian crisis since 2011. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that at least 7.7 million people are experiencing food insecurity due to the ongoing conflict in the nation coupled with severe weather conditions.

With the conflict putting people’s lives on hold and keeping them from conducting any type of work to get money and food, alongside the increase in temperatures making the land in South Sudan barren, there is a need for aid from foreign countries and organizations like the U.N. now more than ever.

The WFP Takes Action

In December 2022, the WFP served 4.7 million people in Somalia with life-saving assistance, which came in the form of cash-based aid or food supplies. The WFP also provided aid to nearly 352,000 vulnerable people facing the effects of droughts in the country under the expansion of the national safety net program, which aims to support the poorest and most vulnerable families.

In South Sudan, the WFP handed out more than 13,880 metric tonnes of food and $3.6 million worth of cash-based aid. In February 2023 alone, the WFP assisted 1.6 million people impacted by climate effects and the nation’s internal conflict.

The WFP South Sudan director Mary-Ellen McGroarty announced that the organization needs an additional $567 million to continue covering the most severe needs in South Sudan alone, excluding the effects of the current conflict.

The WFP funding for South Sudan goes to a number of great causes. For instance, in 2022, the organization built irrigation systems in rural towns and helped local farmers gain access to larger markets. WFP programs not only provide food and cash-based assistance but also teach people how to prepare for potential extreme weather patterns and establish resilience by creating climate-smart food systems.

The Way Forward

A European Union study on changing weather effects predicted that by 2050, increased temperatures and higher demand could leave as many as 150 million people in the world severely affected by water stress. The 2023 climate pledge reaching the designated amount of $100 billion is good news for organizations helping those in need in developing countries.

Funding is essential for tackling extreme weather conditions. Hence, the $100 billion provision from developed countries will help to advance resilience and sustainability goals and address the humanitarian issues that arise from changing weather patterns.

– Sam Kalantzis
Photo: Flickr

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How USAID is Providing Aid in Sudan

Aid in Sudan
Sudan has entered a new period of civil conflict, throwing an already delicate humanitarian situation into a full-blown crisis. As the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fight for military control in the streets of Khartoum and across the country, more than 330,000 Sudanese civilians have experienced internal displacement since April 15. However, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other organizations are providing aid in Sudan and making a difference.

The Situation

More than 100,000 people have fled the country and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that the number will rise to more than 800,000 as the crisis continues. Neighbouring countries Chad and Egypt, have each welcomed tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees seeking aid. 

Before the conflict, the North African nation was already struggling to provide sufficient food and medical care to support its citizens. More than 16 million people, approximately one-third of Sudan’s population, relied on some form of humanitarian support before the conflict began. Unfortunately, the process of getting foreign aid across to those in need could become even more challenging due to the conflict. Port Sudan along the coast of the Red Sea is the only available entry point for aid into Sudan according to the International Committee of the Red Cross Africa. The epicenter of the humanitarian crisis is in the Darfur region, which is difficult to reach due to security concerns.

Restarting Aid in Sudan

Many foreign aid actors suspended their humanitarian activities in Sudan when the conflict broke out in Khartoum on April 15th, due to active fighting and the closure of the country’s borders. The World Food Programme (WFP) lifted its temporary suspension on foreign aid activities on May 1 after three staff members were killed in North Darfur when the fighting began. The WFP has stated that it will distribute food assistance in Al Jazirah, Gedaref, Kassala and White Nile.

However, humanitarian access will remain limited in the most impacted regions of Darfur, Khartoum and Kordofan. USAID Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) and the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration coordinate with multiple United Nations aid organizations to bolster food security and humanitarian aid in Sudan. Partnering with the WFP, USAID/BHA assisted approximately 1.1 million people in Sudan with emergency food and nutrition assistance in February 2023.

The U.S. agency delivered about 45,000 metric tons of American-sourced Sorghum to Sudan between November 2022 and April 2023 to support critical food shortages in the country. USAID has also worked with UNHCR and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to provide water, sanitation and hygiene assistance in order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as dengue and malaria. Partner agencies have improved access to clean drinking water in conflict-impacted areas and have provided hygiene awareness sessions.

Opening Pathways for Aid in Sudan

The United States Government has demonstrated a commitment to supporting humanitarian aid efforts in Sudan amidst the violent civil conflict. The government has pledged $162,511,131 to USAID programs to support its humanitarian aid in Sudan for the fiscal year 2023. This funding comes in the form of financial aid to various U.N. partner agencies that provide food and medical aid to people in need all throughout the country.

U.S. State Department officials are in ongoing negotiations to open up additional avenues for humanitarian aid to Sudan. Envoys representing both warring factions have traveled to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as part of “pre-negotiation talks” mediated by the United States and Saudi Arabia. Neither military faction has shown a willingness to negotiate an end to the conflict, but there are considerations regarding reaching a humanitarian truce. U.S. officials are cautiously optimistic that the two sides can reach an agreement to allow additional humanitarian aid to reach Sudan. However, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland has stated that the U.S. is willing to apply economic pressure to the parties “depending on how talks go.”

Looking Ahead

Despite the ongoing civil conflict in Sudan, international aid organizations, including USAID, are working tirelessly to provide critical assistance to those affected by the crisis. While the situation remains challenging, the lifting of suspensions on aid activities and the commitment of the U.S. government to support humanitarian efforts offer hope for improving the dire conditions in the country. Negotiations for a potential humanitarian truce provide a glimmer of optimism, with the possibility of opening up pathways for additional aid to reach Sudan.

– Jeremy Rosen
Photo: Flickr

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Hunger and Food Systems in North Korea

Food Systems in North Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un convened an emergency meeting to discuss agriculture in February 2023, as the country faces growing concerns about food insecurity. Kim only holds these meetings once or twice a year, but it had only been two months since the previous one. Though the regime refutes such claims, the recurrent meetings may point to pressing circumstances concerning the food systems in North Korea.

Persistent Effects of a Devastating 1990s Famine

A famine in the mid-1990s killed more than 3% of the population. The effects of this famine still persist within food systems in North Korea today. Additionally, according to media reports, the situation has only worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the enforcement of more border closures. The regime resorted to reserving available resources for only military developments.

North Korea also suffers from a lack of agricultural infrastructure, including fuel and fertilizers, which have become more expensive as a result of the pandemic. Chemical fertilizers, especially, appear to be in shortage in the country as the sowing season approaches.

In December 2022, the South Korean development agency estimated a 3.8% decrease in the North’s crop production since 2021. The South’s Unification Ministry commented on the current food crisis as “seemed to have deteriorated,” although North Korea’s regime refuses any claims that infer its incapacity to provide enough food for the population. 

The country’s lack of arable land is partly responsible for its food insecurity crisis. The Brookings Institution in Washington, DC reports that only 20% of the land appears to be suitable for agricultural production. The extreme weather and constant flooding may have also destroyed some of the existing plantations.

International Humanitarian Aid in North Korea

Despite the food insecurity problem in North Korea, the country’s regime refuses international aid. A local newspaper Rodong Sinmun even described foreign aid as “poisoned candy.” However, China, a long-standing ally, has agreed to restart a small portion of railway transport of various goods, including medicine, fertilizers and food between the two countries. One of North Korea’s only options is to restart the whole railway trade, but the Chinese government seems reluctant.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the living conditions of North Koreans appear to have worsened significantly. The economic isolation greatly limits the chances of international humanitarian aid, and the border closures have only affected the country negatively. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), North Korea only accepted about $2.3 million in aid from international organizations in 2022. Most of the aid came from European countries, with $1.6 million from Switzerland, $510,000 and $200,000 from the Swedish and Norwegian Red Cross respectively.

Hope for Economic Relief in North Korea

The hope for the current food systems in North Korea lies in lifting the economic sanctions imposed on the country. Ongoing tensions between North Korea and the U.S., along with its allies, are due to the country’s possession of nuclear weapons and political clashes. The dissolution of this tension could partially address the country’s food insecurity. If North Korea can trade with countries other than China and Russia, it would have access to resources that could solve some of the problems related to food scarcity, although the country has shown no such effort.

Organizations like Liberty in North Korea and World Food Programme (WFP) are working towards helping the country’s population through various initiatives. For example, WFP is operating the DPRK Interim Country Strategic Plan (2019-2023) that proposed a plan to improve nutrition for children under 7 years of age, pregnant and lactating women and tuberculosis patients by 2025. While it is difficult to predict the outcome at this stage, sustained humanitarian assistance in North Korea can lead to positive outcomes.

– Amber Kim
Photo: Flickr

Elderly Poverty in Burundi

Elderly Poverty in Burundi
Burundi, located in Central Africa, is one of the least developed countries in the world. According to the U.S. Department of State, more than 85% of its population lives in poverty, with 80-90% of people living in rural areas where agriculture is the main source of livelihood.

Although there is limited data on elderly poverty in Burundi, the country’s life expectancy in 2020 was 62, significantly lower than the 2020 global average of 72. Yet, in 2019, the age dependency ratio — the ratio of unemployed elderly dependents to working-age people — in Burundi was 95.2%, a value significantly higher than the 85.1% global average. The country’s high dependency ratio reflects the inordinate financial stress that its working population, and the economy as a whole, face in supporting the elderly. Factors compounding this stress include a high level of food insecurity; a steadily rising population; poor access to health, education and clean water; and susceptibility to climate-related devastation.  

The Concerns of Burundi’s Elderly

As early as 1999, Cécilie Siboniyo, an 80-year-old woman living in the Buraniro Refugee camp, expressed concern that children were becoming less well-educated and losing their sense of community responsibility. She noted that increasing distractions and a growing lack of respect for elders were making it difficult to teach social values. She was hopeful that directing media attention to this problem would help pave the way for a brighter future.

Still, Abtwahi Al Hajj, a 77-year-old man living in Ngozi, Burundi, feared for the future. He worried that young people no longer felt a duty to care for the elderly.

Such concerns are valid. A comparative analysis of ageism in Belgium and Burundi found that, while both Burundian and Belgian adults living in Belgium valued the elderly, Burundians living in their own country saw the elderly as poor and weak. The study correlated this perception to a lack of social and economic resources and a “lack of government spending on older people (pension and health care systems)” in less developed countries like Burundi.

Need for Action

Land shortages, changing weather patterns and overpopulation in Burundi are making survival increasingly difficult for a population that relies upon agriculture for food and income. With more than 60% of the population undernourished, malnutrition is one of the leading causes of death in the country.

To ensure progress and a better life for Burundi’s elderly, social and economic resources must go toward helping the many who live in poverty. According to a World Bank report, targeting pensions to support elderly people who are responsible for households and children would also have a significant impact on reducing poverty in Burundi overall.

Positive Impact of Organizations in Burundi

Despite the severity of the situation, numerous organizations have partnered with the Burundi government to provide help for the elderly who face poverty and food insecurity.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has partnered with the United Nations to support the Burundi government in providing immediate and long-term assistance for the elderly and vulnerable. In 2022, WFP and its donors assisted 995,651 Burundians in need, an act of service that the organization has committed itself to continue.

The World Bank and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have also helped negotiate policies to make the country’s most valuable crop, coffee, more lucrative. Now, European and U.S. companies purchase coffee directly from Burundian producers. USAID is also working to help improve the country’s agricultural resource base. In addition to providing better seed varieties, it is helping to advance crop and livestock production, provide guidance for soil preservation and ensure that the most vulnerable have access to a healthy, diversified diet.

Additionally, USAID is working to build social welfare in Burundi, emphasizing food security, democracy, economic growth and health care. It has strengthened the health system by ensuring access to quality maternal and child care, medications and other basic necessities.

Finally, the African Union has developed the Maputo Protocol to promote human rights and the rights of women, with specific provisions for protecting women who are elderly. In late 2022, the African Union Commission and Gender, Peace and Security Programme concluded a joint mission to Burundi to advance the implementation of the Maputo Protocol, which the Burundi government signed in 2003. The hope is that the country will fully adopt and enforce the protocol by July 2023.

A Brighter Future

Although elderly poverty remains a growing problem in Burundi, the Burundi government and numerous international organizations are working to ensure a better future for the country’s elderly and population at large. Such a clear commitment to this goal is sure to inspire hope and positive change.

– Chidinma Nwoha
Photo: Flickr

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Drought-Resistant Grains Boost Food Production in Zimbabwe

Food Production in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe, a landlocked country in south-eastern Africa, frequently suffers from the effects of seasonal droughts. For example, during the 2019 agricultural season, Zimbabwe endured a particularly devastating drought resulting in more than 5 million rural Zimbabweans experiencing food insecurity and nearly 4 million requiring food assistance. On top of issues of food insecurity that lower yields caused, Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate rose to rates above 190% in June 2021, resulting in a higher overall cost of living throughout the country. Additionally, the price of maize has risen by more than 50% since the beginning of 2021. Luckily, drought-resistant grains are boosting food production in Zimbabwe.

How the Zimbabwean Government is Assisting Farmers

To solve the problem of lower yield due to maize not being able to withstand drought conditions, the Zimbabwean government has begun assisting farmers in the transition to farming smaller drought-resistant grains like sorghum and millet. This transition has resulted in food production increases in Zimbabwe, though it has not been easy for many farmers, as these smaller grains require more work to keep up. The small-grain crops attract birds, making a protection system essential to guard their crops. Moreover, when harvested, small-grain crops require more labor-intensive processing. Additionally, because the farmers have stopped farming as much maize, they have subsequently become unable to produce the corn necessary to make many staple Zimbabwean foods.

Responsive Drip Irrigation

Responsive Drip Irrigation is aiding farmers with an innovative irrigation system that helps crop production in drought conditions. It developed an irrigation system that reacts to the crops’ chemicals to determine when the plants need water. Of course, innovative technology such as Responsive Drip Irrigation is expensive and therefore difficult to make available to many Zimbabwean farmers. Nevertheless, in August 2021, Responsive Drip Irrigation began working with smallholder farms to help encourage food production increases in Zimbabwe.

The CAWEP Program

Additionally, in December 2022, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced the implementation of a new three-year initiative to make water more accessible throughout rural Zimbabwe. The CAWEP program allocated $14.8 million to increase access to water for various household uses, improve access to clean and affordable energy, and refurbish current irrigation systems. CAWEP should eventually connect as many as 12,500 people to electricity, assist 150,000 people with accessing water and establish more than 100 hectares of land as workable agricultural property. By making water more accessible to these rural Zimbabwean farmers, the UNDP hopes to increase food production in Zimbabwe.

The World Food Programme (WFP)

Finally, the World Food Programme (WFP) has also worked to provide support for rural Zimbabwean farmers in the face of probable climate shocks such as prevalent droughts. as of November 2022, the WFP has provided nearly 10,000 metric tons of food, more than $420,000 worth of cash-based transfers and has reached close to 500,000 people with these cash transfers. As of December 2022, the WFP provided more than 550,000 people with emergency food assistance.

The Road Ahead

Though frequently facing the brunt of powerful droughts and an ever-growing inflation rate, food production is slowly increasing in Zimbabwe as farmers shift to more sustainable crops and receive help from humanitarian organizations such as the WFP and the UNDP.

– Chris Dickinson
Photo: Flickr

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Foreign Aid to Yemen

Foreign Aid to Yemen
Yemen is facing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, according to the U.N. The civil war has been going on since 2014 and the country is not facing another challenge due to the Russia-Ukraine War.

The Civil War and its Impact on the Yemeni People

Two main groups are controlling different parts of Yemen. The internationally recognized government (IRG) is controlling the south and east of the country, and the Houthi group is controlling the west of the country and its capital, Sana’a. The IRG is also supporting the Southern Transitional Council (STC). The situation caused around 377,000 casualties between 2015 and 2021. Although casualties slowed down in 2022 due to the ceasefire which took place between April and October 2022, Yemeni people are in need of humanitarian assistance. According to a U.N. report, more than 23.5 million people of Yemen’s 31.2 million population need humanitarian assistance.

Food insecurity, disruption of education, scarcity of health care facilities, severe drought and intense flooding are among many issues people are facing in Yemen. The issues require humanitarian assistance in relation to the problems.

Education

The U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) estimates that primary and secondary school attendance has fallen sharply since the beginning of the conflict, from 100% to 75% and from 50% to 28% in 2021, respectively. Girls often endure the most challenges due to a lack of education.

Health Care

In February 2021, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees stated that “Yemen cannot even afford to worry about the coronavirus” because of famine risk and other infectious diseases such as diphtheria and measles. The outbreak of cholera in Yemen in 2016 was also one of the worst in recent history. Moreover, only half of Yemen’s sanitary facilities were fully operating in 2021.

Food Security

Even before the current war, food insecurity was a problem. For the period from October to December 2022, the World Food Programme (WFP) estimated that 54% of the population of Yemen suffered from extreme food insecurity while 2.2 million children and 1.3 million pregnant and nursing women experienced acute malnutrition.

The WFP is also facing underfunding as it stood around $1 billion short of its $1.98 billion requirements for 2022. As a result, in both December 2021 and June 2022, the organization expressed that it has had to reduce the rations it provides.

The Russia-Ukraine War also deeply impacted Yemen’s food security, as the country used to import 40% of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine.

Main Donors of Foreign Aid to Yemen

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released a report on March 16, 2022, stating the countries’ foreign aid to Yemen pledges. The U.S. and the European Commission were the first two potential donors of foreign aid to Yemen in the previous year.

The U.S. pledged around $500,000 and donated more than $1 billion. Also, the European Commission pledged $173 million USD and donated €170 million.

The U.N. is appealing for large amounts for Yemen. The March 2022 appeal was the largest amount for Yemen since the conflict began, which was $4.3 billion. However, the U.N. could receive only 54% of the required funds at $2.3 billion.

In addition to the efforts on brokering for peace, the international community should also increase the amount of foreign aid to Yemen to respond to the world’s humanitarian crisis.

– Murathan Arslancan
Photo: Flickr