East Africa (MNN) — Over 23 million people are experiencing severe hunger in Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, aid groups say. East Africa faces the worst drought in 40 years.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted food imports as well. Russia and Ukraine combined supply 90 percent of East Africa’s wheat. Russia is also one of the world’s leading fertilizer exporters.
World governments have seen the drought coming since 2020, but have done little to help. Aid groups, including Oxfam and Save the Children, blame this political failure for letting the crisis get so bad.
Global Disciples
Global Disciples works with Christian business leaders in the region. Galen Burkholder says, “We have been partnering with them in providing immediate food relief through a generosity fund. But we have also been working through a number of our staff members who are involved in Farming God’s Way, which is a no-till method for people to do hand-powered farming in small plots.”
These small plots can raise plants needed for food even in times of drought. Global Disciples workers also help people raise ducks, collect honey, or even harvest tilapia if there is enough water.
It’s a big opportunity, Burkholder says. “Suddenly, people in need are open to listening to new ideas, new possibilities. If we can offer some very simple techniques that will allow them to grow a bit more food than what they could otherwise, there’s an openness to other new ideas, including the Gospel.”
Want to support Global Disciples’ work in this region? Learn more and get involved here.
The header photo shows a no-till farming field, with soybean plants growing on an already harvested wheat crop. (Photo courtesy of Maggilautaro, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
