The effects of climate change in Africa are so glaring that the continent offers the best examples of the extremes of climate change effects in the world. One of such is the El Nino condition which has become more popular in the last few months and has affected Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa, in devastating ways.

Since last year, it has been in the news that some parts of the country are suffering their worst drought in 30 years and there are currently no signs of things getting better.

According to AllAfrica, "a series of failed rainy seasons triggered by the El Nino weather system has devastated food production and livelihoods across vast swathes of the country, causing food crops to fail, livestock to perish, and severe water shortages leaving 5.8 million people in need of urgent access to drinking water".

"In many drought-affected areas, dried up wells, springs and rivers have led to a sharp increase in chronic skin conditions such as scabies, with ever-worsening dehydration weakening people's health and leaving them vulnerable to communicable diseases".

10.2 million people, of which 6 million are children, are affected and require emergency food assistance. 400,000 children are feared to have slid into malnutrition and require very urgent supplementary food assistance while an additional 1.7 million children and lactating mothers suffer moderate acute malnutrition.

$1.4 billion is needed to stem this impending scourge but even half of that has not yet been mustered. The Ethiopian government has led efforts in this front spending about $381 million already. The UN Secretary general has called on the international Community to answer this call for urgent humanitarian intervention in the drought-affected parts of Ethiopia within three weeks to avoid catastrophic escalation when the 'hungry season' sets in April with its peak in August. The last drought in Ethiopia was deadly.

Ethiopia is not the only African country suffering the drought, Somalia and Eritrea are also affected. The biggest challenge now is to provide access to drinking water and food to the affected population before it is too late. Climate change is ravaging Africa and unfortunately, there's no climate justice yet. 

Let's step-up efforts in any way we can to help the people and government of Ethiopia during this difficult time. 

Source: allafrica

Photo By: UNICEF