08 June 2008 - 11H01
Ethiopia drought spurs famine fears
Rain has not fallen on the northern valleys of Ethiopia for several months, stirring fearful memories of the 1980's famine among families in the region. Click "Play Video" to see FRANCE 24's N. Trabelsi and F. Berruyer's report.
Video
The only use for an umbrella in the Gheralta valley in the north of Ethiopia is to protect residents from the scorching sun.
The region, at 2000 meters from sea level, has not had rain since last August and farmers and their families are becoming desperate. If the government hadn’t installed a few water pumps, people wouldn’t have a single drop of water now.
One inhabitant from the region tells FRANCE 24 that she has nothing to eat, that she can only wait and pray for rain.
Zeray, a local farmer, has to fetch water from a distant well to nourish his crops and animals, but is less and less hopeful for the future. Time passes excruciatingly slowly as he struggles to feed the seven members of his family. His mother compares this period to a great famine 20 years ago, except that they “haven’t yet had any deaths or much disease.”
But the families of this region won’t dream of leaving the land that normally feeds them as they have nowhere else to go. They simply pray for rain.
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