The Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with the challenges of climate change, has urgently reminded us of the possibility of global hunger, food shortages and their impact on vulnerable populations. To many, the scenario has revived memories of The Great Famine of 1845–1852, which caused the greatest mass famine in Ireland’s modern history. What made the Irish Potato Famine unique was that it brought with it a crop infection called the ‘black rot’ (Phytophthora infestans). The devastation that followed continues to be a grim reminder of how agricultural failures can utterly wipe out lives , livelihoods, and alter the course of a nation's history.
Potato was a staple crop for a majority of the Irish, especially the poor. Its failing harvests from 1845 onwards inflated prices and caused unaffordability that led to an inevitable social fallout, and even instances of cannibalism.
This brings us back to the root cause of the famine. Crop failure, which is a very real possibility in many parts of the world today. In this case, the ‘black rot’ or fungi attacked the roots of the potato plant, infected the soil, stopped the growth of tubers, new stems and leaves. This resulted in a shortage of produce to feed the people and livestock of the country. Unexpected wet weather in 1845 also damaged the potato crop. Something to think about in the present times of extreme weather events.
That a massive crop failure along with droughts and floods led to a decade long famine and caused the deaths of 1 million people between 1845 and 1852 is a sobering fact. The situation led to massive migration of the Irish to the United States. These events led to a precipitous fall in Ireland’s population - some estimates claim that Ireland’s population fell by as much as 20% or more!
As we examine the factors that led to the famine, we realise it was caused by not just natural disasters but also human errors and socio-economic reasons. Ireland was a British colony at the time. England's political hegemony over Ireland, its ownership of agricultural land and mismanagement, over dependence on the potato crop - because it was cheap and nutritious - led to the famine. Neither the government nor the agricultural sector were prepared for the catastrophe.
The destruction of agrarian economics also created deep divisions between the rich and the poor. It also gave birth to trade unions and political dissenters like the Irish Republican Brotherhood, leading to the war for freedom, which was won by the Irish in the first decade of the 20th century.
What lessons can we in 2022 derive from the tragedy that befell Ireland? The most important is that calamities can and do happen in countries, be they rich or poor. It is important to anticipate them and be prepared. It is essential to prioritise food security and sustainable agricultural practices, and make contingency arrangements before disaster strikes.
The question we should be asking is, "Are we prepared for food shortages?" What about the impact of climate change on crops? Is our food supply matching the demand? Lack of proper storage and transportation leads to immense wastage while dearth of water and weather vagaries impact food production as well.
Be it the Great Famine or the Bengal Famine, such historical crises indicate disregard for agrarian issues and respect for people. This is one of the greatest threats to food security. Natural disasters such as droughts and floods are plaguing many parts of the world like Africa, Asia and South America and if the weather patterns, rising sea levels and temperature spikes continue to impact farming communities worldwide, we could have on our hands, an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
According to a World Bank report, the COVID-19 pandemic has further caused a major setback to global poverty reduction. Rising energy prices, fueled by climate change and the Russia-Ukraine war, have stalled recovery. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns, “climate-change-driven factors are expected to have adverse effects on agricultural production, livestock, forestry and fisheries through 2050, thereby jeopardising the future of food security globally”.
The number of people experiencing acute food insecurity is likely to climb to over 200 million people in 53 countries and territories, according to a FAO-WFP report and the time to act is now if we want to prevent the unthinkable from happening in the near future. The Great Famine of Ireland is a cautionary tale - one that teaches us we must never get complacent about food security.