Fight against seasonal hunger has to be meaningful

FE Team | Published: October 11, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Shahiduzzaman Khan
With the second phase of the floods, damage to aman crop and a global rise in the price of basic food commodities, the northern districts of the country are likely to face difficult times in the months ahead. Economists and donors have highlighted contingency plans in the fight against seasonal hunger -- or what is known as the 'monga' -- in such districts.
The recent floods caused widespread devastation and damage this year. For that reason, the government-NGO partnership is needed to inject fresh dynamism into the local economy, particularly in the northern districts of the country. Inefficient distribution of public resources, often exacerbates 'monga situation' in the northern districts. An early warning system of monga needs to be developed to reduce its severity. Here, the Employment Guarantee Scheme that is now operational in neighbouring India, may be of some relevance to taking the critical problem of joblessness in the monga-prone districts of the country. Coordination among different ministries of the government is of paramount importance for triggering actions in the fight against 'seasonal hunger' this year. Such actions should move from short-term relief to long-term and sustainable solutions. Consultation with the people should also from the core approach to 'monga mitigation' programme.
The 2007 floods have had 'a significant impact' in five northern districts of the country -- Kurigram, Gaibandha, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, and Nilphamari. These are the monga-prone areas. The programmes initiated by the government to directly assist the flood-affected people are still not adequate on all counts. In this backdrop, the effects of monga, as have been feared by the economists and reported in the media, are likely to be more severe and deadly this year, if there is no coordinated intervention programme by the government to help assuage the sufferings of the people.
The soaring prices of basic necessities in recent times have already worsened the sufferings of the common people, particularly those in the monga-prone areas. The price-hikes have been caused by the disruptions to the supply-chain, among other factors.
According to many observers, the most dreaded hungry season is set to arrive this year, ahead of the usual timing, if mitigation programmes are not implemented in earnest right now. The ordeal of the people has been exacerbated by the devastating floods and repeated spells of heavy rainfall. Farmers have lost not only their normal aman crops, but also vegetables. However, such a human tragedy in the northern districts has been occurring in a regular cycle every year. Seasonal floods almost every year further aggravate the condition of the people in the monga-prone districts. Philanthropists, depending on contributions from richer members of the community, often come forward with their limited resources to help the disadvantaged in the monga-afflicted areas. They need to be more actively encouraged this year to extend their helping hand for mitigating the sufferings of the concerned people.
High prices of the essentials have gone far beyond the poor people's capacity. Under such a situation, people in the monga-prone areas will be taking unconventional food, as they had done before. The government and a number of non-government organisations (NGOs) have adopted some emergency measures to provide assistance in the monga-stricken areas.
However, stopgap arrangements will not help much in addressing the problems of the monga-afflicted people. What they need most is creation of income generating activities (IGAs) through small-scale community infrastructure works, provision for skill development training, extension of micro-credit and seed capital as a part of the operational programme to tackle the problem on an effective basis. Here, targeting the hardcore poor should be the most essential requirement at this stage.
River-bank erosion, nutrient depletion, water logging, salinisation, and acidification, burial of fertile land by sandy alluvium are the major problems facing the people in the 'monga-prone' areas. Such problems exist in varying degrees in other parts of the country, too. In the northern districts of the country where 'monga' takes place, the situation, particularly after two-successive floods, has turned critical. In general, 25 per cent of land coverage by forest is required for ensuring ecological balance. But in the monga-hit areas, the coverage is only about 10 to 15 per cent of the total areas. Deforestation has tremendously increased during the past 30 years. Although a large number of trees were planted and nurseries developed in the northern region, these are not enough to cover up the deforestation.
There are a large number of ponds and flood plain areas in the monga-prone districts. There, the seasonal jobless people -- especially youths -- can cultivate fish by taking lease of the ponds from the government or landowners. But no water management plan will be successful especially in the northern parts of the country, if there is no land-use management plan. For monga-risk management, the government will, therefore, have to go for proper utilisation or development of land, water and human resources.
Through proper utilisation of these resources, solution of the seasonal monga problem is possible. In order to improve food and livelihood security, creation of income generation activities for the hardcore poor is needed immediately. The government has decided to embark on a Tk 75 billion monga mitigation programme for the five districts of greater Rangpur after Eid. Along with it, the authorities must go for monetisation of basic food commodities to stabilise the market price.
A long-term strategy has to be drawn up for combating the scourge of 'monga' on a sustained basis. Such a strategy must aim at creating permanent job opportunities for the people in those districts. For that purpose, crop diversification on a massive scale and establishment of more small and medium types of industries should draw a priority attention. Here, the efforts by the government for building the necessary infrastructure assume also a critical importance.