Ethiopia, a poverty and hunger stricken country with a population of 82,544,840, has experienced numerous global problems for centuries, but one of which is very prominent in the eyes of today’s society on an international level. There are, and have been, many attempts by NGO’s to resolve these problems and bring hope to Africa’s second largest nation. This essay contains some modern information on the country, how NGO’s are helping, why this is happening in Ethiopia, and ultimately how the country is managing this crisis.
Environmental problems may be one of the most conspicuous reasons as to why this country is experiencing such a dramatic food scarcity, but I believe with the help of Organizations and the government of Ethiopia, change can be brought to this nation.
One important thing to keep in mind when considering the situation in Ethiopia is not only the population as of 2008, but what it was years ago, and how rapidly it is increasing. In 1994, the Ethiopian census measured approximately 53,477,265 people, and as of today the country experiences an annual growth rate of 3.212% according to the CIA website for the world’s population statistics.
Drought and floods are easily the biggest factors to consider when discussing the reasons for such a shortage in Ethiopia. Last year, Ethiopia was hit by devastating floods, destroying most of the food crops. Ironically, this year drought has worsened the situation. According to UN officials, the drought is expected to continue into next year, drastically worsening the situation. “The prolonged drought across much of Ethiopia is likely to continue into next year” . The UN also stated that at least 6 areas of Eastern Ethiopia have recorded nearly total crop failure, all due to inadequate rainfall in those regions. Nita Bhalla of BBC recently reported that ones first impression, when looking at the landscape in some areas, would believe that the situation is not as bad as it sounds. “..The landscape is not...