What about Ethiopia?

Oct 25, 2009

Ethiopia has had two major urban influxes to the population since the country's foundation: One was the during the Italian occupation from 1936-1941. The second was during a impoverished period stretching from 1967-1975 with many laborers looking for jobs. This influx encouraged their government to create the Land Reform Act, which created incentive for farmers to remain in agricultural communities and rural areas. The anti-urbanization movement was meant to stimulate food production but has lead to an inverse reaction. Farmers are forced to overuse land without letting the land regenerate nutrients by rotating crops by season. These deprived fields yield less nutrients for the livestock. The livestock are generally unable to add nutrients to the soil through defecation due to the fact that their manure is used as a fuel. To add to the issue, the entire horn region of Africa is suffering a continuos drought.

Although the conditions in Rural Ethiopia are difficult, the drought has not caused total epidemic of the proportions seen in the late 1980's. Issues of starvation have been suppressed by the availability of high protein foods to the starving populous. Current drought problems could also be remedied by better irrigation and public funding or support from outside regions. With aid directed to enhancing the conditions of farmland in Ethiopia the region could become more self sufficient and less reliant on continual support. Within better conditions for farm land, it is possible that the region will be less directly damaged by the effects drought.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8319741.stm