August 2011

The drought and resulting famine in north-eastern Africa are already horrendous and threaten still more lives. The pictures are harrowing, the reality worse. There is little we can do so many miles away, but there are some things.

We can make sure that we are reasonably informed so that we keep alive our involvement and don't just switch off from the plight of so many other human beings. There is a danger, of course, in the other direction, and that is we become too burdened and bowed down by the scale of it all, and so unable to help in even the few ways open to us.

Building on an informed awareness of what is actually happening, we can then pray for those involved at every level and in so many different ways: those starving, sick and bereaved; those in refugee camps away from their homes, possessions and loved ones; those running the camps, the NGOs, charities, medics, aid workers, organisers, government etc.; those planning to try to limit the present damage and future harm. And so many more needs and situations.

We can also, of course, make sure we give financially, perhaps through Christian Aid or by some other route.

We can also reflect on the need for sustainable world food supply and just distribution. This touches each of us in many ways, especially our farmers and all who work on the land or in associated industries. We need our own farming to be sustainable and valued far more highly by everyone, and not just taken for granted. The need is for world food security rather than national security with its associated trade barriers, but that also means each nation, like our own, must do all it can to encourage our farmers.

Sustainable farming needs sustainable and fair prices being paid to our farmers. We still have a long way to go for the supermarkets not to abuse their power and for fair prices to be paid to the farmers themselves for the food they are producing. The appointment of a Groceries Code Adjudicator is a move in the right direction, but more is needed.

We also need new people to want and be able to go into farming, knowing that it can pay a living wage and that they will be able to find entry points into the profession.

We can also be informed about and support the permaculture initiative that our diocese is taking to assist farming in our link dioceses in Tanzania (see our diocesan website).

Food and water are so obviously vital for us and the entire world. Let us value those who work in these fields, and encourage sustainability in every respect for everyone's sake.