September 07, 2015

Drought in Ethiopia puts millions at risk

editor:	Gurmeet Singh

Just under 5 million Ethiopians could be at risk from food shortages due to drought, the UN has announced.

Government officials have contradicted this announcement, however, saying that enough food surpluses exist and are being distributed to those in need.

The Afar and Southern Somali regions are hardest hit. The government has allocated $35 million to deal with the crisis; the UN says it needs a further $195 million to sufficiently deal with the problem. The drought. an effect of El Nino, a warm ocean current, is expected to not only create food shortages, but unemployment for farmers, and local conflicts over resources.

There are reports of people having to sell their belongings to stay alive; this includes livestock, as there's not enough to feed them.

In a nation where just under half of the children are malnourished, further national damage is a terrifying prospect. Let's hope the UN And the Ethiopian government are able to work in concert to provide aid to the people who need it.

Action Against Hunger provides more information: http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/countries/africa/ethiopia

Image: Action Against Hunger