The Drought of 2009 in East Africa

I was in Tanzania in early January where I met with Maasai friends who related their experiences during the drought which gripped East Africa's Maasailand during the latter part of 2009. This drought was the result of minimal rainfall during the "short" rains that typically start falling in December and the failure altogether of the "long" rains of March and April. Maasai walked further and further afield in search of pastures; some walked as far as the Indian Ocean Coast. (Kenya was affected as well. Several weeks ago, I passed Maasai grazing their animals in a patch of green near Nairobi's international airport. "Some Maasai haven't returned home yet" I was told by way of explanation.) Many of my Tanzanian Maasai friends lost hundreds of their cattle. They reported that many young Maasai among them committed suicide when their animals died of starvation. As the drought took hold, Maasai were advised to sell their cattle when they could still receive a fair price. But the Maasai are loath to sell their animals and for those who couldn't bring themselves to do it, the value of their cows was reduced to nothing. I compare this reluctance to sell in the face of worsening conditions to the hesitation we feel trying to gauge market conditions – sell our investments or hang onto them?

10-03-2010