Erratic rain in Ethiopia
AllAfrica.com reports on a situation in Ethiopia that’s threatening crop production this year. Due to the late start of Ethiopia’s wet season, and the unreliability of the rains, the number of those in need of aid could increase.
Excerpts below, full piece here
“The rainy season will start late particularly in the northeastern part of our country,” Prime Minister Meles Zenawi told reporters at his office on 24 June. “That means the cropping season for some types of crops may not be appropriate this year.”
Ethiopia produces 90-95 percent of its total cereal output during the main rainy season, called ‘meher’, which runs from June to October.
According to the US Famine Early Warning Systems Network (Fews Net), the ‘meher’ crop season is likely to experience below normal rains. The ‘belg’ (early rains, February-June) season, which normally accounts for 5-10 percent of total cereal output, has also been unpredictable.
-Chris Scott
Filed Under: Justice Issues Feed • Politics • Poverty
