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Desperation as Ethiopia’s hunger grows

by Gavin Hewitt

Although there will be a crop this year, there is little food due to past drought.  In every Ethiopian village visited there were vulnerable children, many with distended stomachs, one sign of extreme hunger. Photo: BBC

It is a strange and unsettling ride west from the Ethiopian town of Shashamene. The fields are vibrant green. There is water in the creeks. The soil is a deep rich burgundy.

However, the people here speak of a “green drought”.

It is the time when the land is full of new shoots but there is no food. It happens because the last rains failed and few crops were planted.

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  • About WHES & Hunger Notes
    For the past 40 years, since its founding in 1976, the mission of World Hunger Education Service is to undertake programs, including Hunger Notes, that
    • Educate the general public and target groups about the extent and causes of hunger and malnutrition in the United States and the world
    • Advance comprehension which integrates ethical, religious, social, economic, political, and scientific perspectives on the world food problem
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    • Promote individual and collective commitments to sustainable hunger solutions.