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Drought
UNITED NATIONS
Issue Date: Sep 30, 1999
The United Nations Children's Fund (unicef), in a drive against polio in Pakistan, will provide a high potency vitamin for children under five years. The aim of the programme is to eliminate one aspect of "hidden hunger" in the country, within a year.
Drought may continue
Issue Date: Sep 30, 1999
Tanzania
Issue Date: Sep 30, 1999
The wildebeest population at Serengeti National Park, has not recovered from a drought that killed 25 per cent of the herd five years ago. Scientists, monitoring the population dynamics of the migratory wildebeest in Serengeti, northern Tanzania, say recent data confirm that the population of the animals, had stabilised at about 900,000 by the end of last year.
Waiting for rain
Issue Date: Aug 31, 1999
from Virginia to Massachusetts, extending even as far west as Ohio, exceptionally dry weather conditions threaten eastern United States with drought. The National Weather Service has blamed the stagnant high-pressure system over the south-eastern part of the country for the lack of rain this summer. Conditions were no better last year which resulted in plants shrivelling up and fish dying in the hot streams.
UGANDA
Issue Date: Aug 31, 1999
Meteorologists have warned that the current drought in Uganda is likely to worsen in the coming months and called on the government to formulate a strategy to cushion the country against its effects. Principal meteorologist Abushen Wamubi Majugu said: "The drought will become severe.
Close to famine
Issue Date: Jun 15, 1999
if the drought-like situation persists in Tripura, there is a danger of the state facing a famine. Three members of a tribal family at Wakhiraipara in west Tripura have already committed suicide as they could not cope with hunger. Rabindra Debbarma, general secretary of Tripura Upajati Juba Samiti ( tujs ), said the three, Nripendra Debbarma, his wife Mayabati and their only son Kutchung, were unemployed and starving for nearly a week.
CHINA
Issue Date: May 15, 1999
Urban dwellers spend 80 per cent to 90 per cent of their time indoors in an environment that is dangerous to their health, according to Cui Jiusi, a Beijing environmental scientist. Cui, director of the Air Quality Monitoring Laboratory under the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, recently cited health dangers resulting from indoor air pollution. The pollutants include formaldehyde and airborne particles, Cui said.
RICE CROP IN TROUBLE
Issue Date: May 15, 1999
A major rice variety in Bangladesh is being threatened by drought. "Our hopes for a quick agricultural recovery after last year's devastating floods have been threatened by prolonged dry weather that may badly affect the yield of Boro, a major rice variety," said Qazi Shahabuddin Ahmed of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies. "The Boro will be nearly lost if there is no rain," he said. Bangladesh produces around 18 million tonnes of rice every year, including eight million tonnes of Boro.
Drought control
Issue Date: Feb 28, 1999
A gene that controls drought tolerance in plants has been identified. Scientists say that they may soon produce genetically engineered plants capable of surviving droughts. The gene was identified by scientists working at the University of Toronto, Canada. The gene controls a plant hormone that triggers closure of pores on the plant's leaves in times of stress. If the gene is suppressed, the pores are closed. This makes the plant lose less water. The only shortcoming with shutting down gene's action is that it would inhibit growth, which will result in lower crop yields.
FIJI
Issue Date: Oct 31, 1998
The South Pacific island of Fiji is suffering from a massive drought. The sugarcane crop of 1998 is well below normal production. Even the torrential rains due to La Nina, which lashed Australia, have stayed away from Fiji. "We were hoping that La Nina could come and bring some rain but the drought is continuing," said managing director of the state-owned Fiji sugar corporation, Jonetani Galuinadi, A break in drought is not expected to assist the present crop but may help next year's crop.
