Millions face starvation in Ethiopia
- 00:02:21
- ITN
Millions face starvation in Ethiopia
Millions of people in Ethiopia are facing starvation amid the worst drought in years, charities have warned. Concern Worldwide has said seed is urgently needed to plant new crops and is hoping to raise £700,000 to buy more. Meanwhile, Oxfam is also urging action as millions struggle to cope with drought and rocketing food prices. Around 4.6 million people in the Horn of Africa country need emergency food aid to tide them through to the next harvest in November. Another 5.7 million who receive food and cash under a regular welfare programme live in areas where drought is biting and need extra help. Concern said farmers in the African country should now be planting crops for an autumn harvest, but most have already run out of seeds. Ethiopia's February harvest failed due to the worst drought in years. Lyndall Stein, Concern Worldwide's chief executive, said: "I have just come back from Ethiopia and I have seen the desperate struggle faced by so many families." "Despite their resilience, drought and soaring food prices have simply engulfed the people. Levels of malnutrition are rising and if we don't get seeds to people in the next two weeks they will be facing catastrophe." The Ethiopian government says 75,000 children are already suffering from the most severe form of malnutrition. The dire conditions have revived memories of the country's 1984-1985 famine which killed some 1 million people.
ITN | August 5, 2008
