Climate Change Threatens an Ancient Way of Life in Ethiopia

Herders can no longer rely on their livestock for income, and many Ethiopians have turned to refugee camps and international aid to eat, reports The Washington Post:

For generations, Ethiopians in the country’s Somali region have relied on their livestock for income, but the recent drought on the Horn of Africa has killed off most cattle, goats, and sheep, reports Paul Schemm forĀ The Washington Post. Many Ethiopians have turned to international aid camps for food, but their traditions are being threatened by the sedentary lifestyle. Because the Ethiopian government is stable, much foreign aid has gone to other countries in the region, like Somalia and South Sudan, who have unreliable governments and therefore less reliable aid.

Climate change has caused a major drought to leave much of the Horn of Africa struggling for economic viability and hope. Ethiopia’s government has done all it can to supply food to the region, securing aid through the fall. But even if rain does begin to fall, the herders have no livestock to profit from. As the nomadic lifestyle disappears, many Ethiopians are turning to new professions like tech, welding, and carpentry to survive.

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