Project Detail: Drought

Contest:

Reportage and Documentary 2019



Brand:

LuganoPhotoDays



Author:

Kristof Vadino

 

Project Info

Drought

Karamoja, the region in North East Uganda, and it's semi-nomadic population suffers severely from climate change

The semi-arid regions in the Horn of Africa suffer more and more from intense droughts. Scientists say climate change is the main cause. The consequences for the population are hunger, thirst, sickness, migration and violence. The semi-nomadic populations have centuries long experience with surviving in difficult conditions. They do not depend on good harvests like the farmers. But both farmers and semi-nomads can hardly cope anymore with the fast recurrent droughts. The global warming is set to go on. The Farming Early Warning Systems Network warns for food crisis in the region. I will photograph the drought stricken regions and its population in the Horn of Africa. Especially focussing on the semi-nomadic pastoralists as they form the largest part of the population.

The little boy came to me saying, 'I am hungry, I am hungry'. In february 2019 I could travel in between 2 other assignments through North East Uganda. The boy lives in a small village in a torrid landscape. Nearby women were digging a hole in the sand of a dried out river bed. To find some mix of water and sand. They drunk it. Half of the village is sick of typhoïd because their animals also drink of the same source. They have no other option. I also saw the skin of cows torn apart. The population moans under a lack of water and most have to walk for miles every day to find water for themselves and their cattle. Animals get sick from claw, lose weight, and die. There is a food shortage because the amount of stored food is depleted more quickly. During the rainy season in May to August, heavy rains wash away the crops. As a result, people will go hungry from December on. To buy food at the local market, they sell charcoal. But many trees are chopped for that. It is a negative survival strategy. Less threes make the soil poorer.

Karamoja was disarmed in 2011 after years of conflict between various semi-nomadic groups. But due to the difficult survival in recent years, the tensions in certain places, such as in Kotido, flare up again. It is often about cattle being stolen. A major conflict rages also in South Ethiopia, in the Somali and Oromia regions. The Turkana from Kenya venture into Uganda to find some water and pasture land. Extreme weather events enforce local problems and conflicts.

All too many people consider climate change as some far off danger. With a concrete story showing the severe consequences of climate change, I want to open eyes. I will go back to North Uganda, but also to South Ethiopia, and North West Kenya. The populations in these regions in the Horn of Africa need attention from a wider audience. They cope already with severe consequences of global CO2 emissions. Which responsibility do we take as a society for our actions?

The Grant will be used to cover travel expenses, to hire cars and fixers and to pay for food and accomodation

Photos