Africa report
Ethiopia: drought hits communities living off cattle hard [2/2]
Audio 02:14
A cattle suffering from the effects of drought, in the Somali region of Ethiopia.
According to the United Nations, there are several million head of cattle victims of the drought between Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.
© AP/Elias Meseret
By: Noé Hochet-Bodin Follow
2 mins
The drought hitting the Horn of Africa would be the worst in nearly 40 years, according to the UN.
It threatens 13 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
In Ethiopia, more than 200,000 head of cattle have already died due to non-existent rainy seasons.
More than a million in the whole Horn of Africa.
A disaster for communities that live above all from their livestock.
The whole economy is collapsing.
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From our special correspondent in Gode,
Istahil Mohamed locks up her 30 goats at home, in the shade, feeding them the straw that once served as a roof.
The 35-year-old woman has already lost three quarters of her herd.
“
If they go to graze grass in the wild, we don't know if they will come back.
They no longer have the energy to walk long distances.
So rather than losing them, I prefer to keep them here at home
.
»
Around his village of Gabias, hundreds of carcasses of goats and camels, sometimes at the very entrance of the town.
Mohammed Tekane is part of the council of elders of the village of Gabias.
“
We've had droughts before, but this one has nothing to do with it.
This is the first time, for example, that we have seen animals eating each other.
As soon as one goat dies, the others eat its remains.
It's unique
.
»
► Also to listen: Ethiopia: in the camps for the displaced due to the drought, malnutrition is worsening
Colossal losses
Khatima Sultan and her 8 children have also suffered from the lack of water.
This woman lived in the desert with her 50 camels.
With this record drought, she lost a lot.
He only has 10 camels left.
“
There has hardly been any rain in the last two rainy seasons.
We were with our cattle and our camels.
The only water we had was not clean.
That's why we come to the city
.
»
The losses are colossal, according to local administrators.
Abdi Ahmed Ilmi is coordinator of the Shebelle area early warning system.
“
Over 95,000 camels, cattle, goats and donkeys have been lost in the current drought
.
»
“Everyone is in the same distress”
This year, mutual aid is impossible according to him.
The whole region is suffering from drought.
“
These are the highest livestock losses I have seen in my life in this area of Shebelle.
This drought is different from previous ones because the situation is the same in the ten zones of the Somali region.
So there is no place where people can migrate.
Everyone is in the same distress
.
»
According to the United Nations, there are several million head of cattle victims of the drought between Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.
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Ethiopia
Agriculture and Fishing
Climate change
Horn of Africa