An early seasonal drought in North Korea could exacerbate hunger, malnutrition and health problems for thousands of vulnerable people already facing food shortages, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said last week.
Flagging the looming crisis, the Mohamed Babiker, the head of the IFRC in North Korea, said the organisation was “particularly concerned about the impact that this early drought will have on children and adults who are already struggling to survive”.
“Even before this drought, one in five children under five-years-old was stunted because of poor nutrition,” he said. “We are concerned that these children will not be able to cope with further stress on their bodies.”
The drought, which started in early spring following months of erratic weather, has reportedly been described by state media as the worst in more than a century – a claim the country last made in 2015.
Already harming crops that should be harvested in June and September, it follows a 12 per cent decline in food production in the country in 2018. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme have said an estimated 10.1 million people – some 40 per cent of North Korea’s population – were already suffering from severe food shortages, a situation which the drought could only make worse.
The Red Cross are expanding programs in the country to help those affected by the drought including buying water pumps for crop irrigation and community greenhouses to allow year-round cultivation.
Daniel Wallinder, the IFRC’s disaster risk management delegate, said it seemed clear that data from the past 50 years showed the climate issues in North Korea are related to climate change.
“What we see now is lack of snow during the winter leaving crops exposed to freezing temperatures as well as prolonged dry spells due to rainfall that is lower and less predictable. For people who are living on the margins, these changes can be devastating.”
