Christian Aid UK has said that the Famine Early Warning Network (FEWS) has given a warning that approximately 18 million people are facing extreme food shortages in East Africa. Ethiopia seems to be the worst affected with more than half of that number coming from that country. Christian Aid has been quick to reveal the shocking figures, but also told how this scale of food shortage was not unusual for the people of Ethiopia.

Ethiopia was the country highlighted greatly in the 1984 and 1985 famine that shocked the world and brought about Live Aid 20 years ago. However, now the system in the country has been developed, meaning that aid and relief resources can more easily be taken into the country.

However, relief aid has not been able to help the continuous causes of the food shortages, which Christian Aid tell, are greatly brought about by drought and conflict.

Over the past 20 years, Ethiopia has received more relief aid but less development aid than other countries, say Christian Aid. For example, the US in 2003 gave US$550 million in emergency relief to the country yet only US$4 million was given for the country’s agricultural development.

Christian Aid has pro-actively attempted to address this issue, and is working with various partners that are focusing on long-term development in regions susceptible to droughts and food shortages. Communities are helped to conserve their water supplies and resources, and advised on how to regenerate their land, tell Christian Aid.

Water Action is one of Christian Aid’s partners in the region, and this organisation has helped farmers to find methods to use their water resources effectively and how to build irrigation systems, protect springs, harvest rain water and dig wells.

Communities are also advised to plant trees and build terraces to halt soil erosion. This has enabled people to protect against the effects of drought and therefore has reduced the amount of relief and aid required to be sent to certain regions.

Christian Aid report that FEWS has highlighted that the underlying causes of food shortages will not go away until long term development work has been carried out effectively in the African region.

Christian Aid promotes itself as an agency of the churches in the UK and Ireland working where the need is greatest – irrespective of religion or race.