Tens of thousands affected by drought

An estimated 600,000-700,000 people are believed to be affected by drought in Burundi, according to the FAO. The Burundi government, for its part, has put the number of people requiring assistance at 1.8 million. An OCHA report on the current situation says the worst-affected areas are Kirundo, Muyinga and Cankuzo provinces in the north and low-altitude regions in the Moso and Imbo plains. These areas have consistently been affected by drought for the past three years and survival mechanisms are therefore very weak. In Kirundo province especially, people are moving to areas where they believe there is food and labour opportunities. These include Tanzania where the refugee camps offer an almost certain guarantee of food, and Rwanda where employment opportunities are available. The report points out the potential for long-term damage to the environment, caused by over-exploitation of the swamplands “which may cause irreparable damage within the next 10 years”.