ashley snyder/food scarcity/1:36pm/march 21, 2008
I've been covering Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Venezuela, all countries facing the same problem but by different means. In Kenya food shortages are beuracratic, due to conflict, and too much rainfall. In Zimbabwe, rainfall and inadequate farming practices brought about by the government has caused a country to fall from abundance. In Venezuela, rising costs, along with conflict with Colombia and the fear of food hording and smuggling is plaguing the population. I move now to Ethiopia which is facing food shortages due to drought.
Drought in the Oromia region of Ethopia, which in turn is affecting half a million people in Ethopia. Although aid is being given to thousands of people via foreign aid agencies, residents are still insecure about this new drought.
Why? Taking a look back at history, Ethopia faced the world's "worst drought" in 1984, which killed a million Ethopians. It started out with the killing of animals and livestock, then the death of crops and sterilization of the land. This caused 5 million people to suffer and 2 million people to flee. When the government could not provide for these people, a Kenyan made documentary brought the world's attention to Ethiopia and they were helped.
As so many Africian countries are facing food shortages and not recieving adequate aid, I can see why many Ethiopians are on edge due to their knowledge of the past. Will this be a repeat of 1984?
http://www.afrol.com/articles/28363
4 comments:
I disagree. Ethiopia is currently one of the highest aid receiver and darling of donors in Africa , nearly 1 billion worth per year. It seems to squander it on useless wars on Ogaden, Somalia, Eritrea etc. and not to mention the corruption and embezzlement that the donors turn blind eye to.
In another example there is Eritrea, that refused all type of food aid, and is rarely in the news for starvation. Geographically it is in a more arid area than Ethiopia, but seems to make better use of its resources and eradicate the culture of reliance on food aid.
In the end, if the society does not change their mind set, no matter how much money or food is going to change the issue of starvation in Ethiopia.
How much of the aid comes from the U.S.? I would be curious to see, if anyone could possibly provide, a chart listing where the U.S.'s overseas assets are being appropriated.
Well I understand that Ethiopia was going through a hard time but I have to agree with ted when he says that Ethiopia has been one of the more fortunate countries. There are far more countries that don't recieve any aid at all, but Ethiopia in my eyes has the resources to get the aid they need.
It's sad that in this day in time we still have so much food scarcity throughout the world. It constantly makes me thankful for what I have.
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