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Food Shortage in Ethiopia

Exercise 6: Adapted from 'Drought Leaves Ethiopia Facing Food Crisis' 12th Feb 2016 by Sean Banville


Several international charities have issued a warning about a looming humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia.  The North African country has been hit by its worst drought in 50 years.  It is widely expected that emergency food aid for 10 million Ethiopians will run out unless more funds can be raised.  John Graham, the head of the charity Save the Children said, "The international community has less than three weeks to raise $245 million to fund the charity's emergency food aid programme to prevent a likely increase in severe malnutrition cases."  The money will go towards supplying food for the starving Ethiopians.  He added, "If the funds do not come in time, there will be a critical shortage in the food supply and many Ethiopians will die from hunger."

Ethiopia, with a population of over 102 million, is Africa's second most populous country and it is no stranger to natural disasters such as drought.  Since most Ehiopians are farmers who depend on seasonal rains, such extreme dry weather conditions can disrupt the country's food supply.  The latest drought was brought on by extreme weather conditions which  destroyed crops throughout most parts of Africa.

Ethiopia is one of the countries hardest hit. United Nations say that over 400,000 Ethiopian children under the age of five suffer from severe malnutrition due to lack of food.  This will affect their physical and mental health.  In order to prevent these irreversible consequences of malnutrition, these children will undergo urgent treatment.

The Save the Children charity hopes to go beyond supplying emergency food aid to these hungry children.

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