ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Famine Early Warning Network said Tuesday more than 17 million Ethiopians might need emergency food aid by 2007.
The network said the worsening situation is due primarily to declining rainfall and an upward spiraling population. The organization called on the Ethiopian government to try to slash dependence on rain-fed agriculture. Aid agencies, however, blame entrenched poverty rather than a lack of rainfall for the emergency.
The United Nations Integrated Regional Information Networks said Ethiopia is suffering an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that left 13.2 million -- one in five of the population -- facing starvation during the year.
FEWS predicts Ethiopia, during 2004, will face a food shortfall of 2.3 million metric tons, compared with the 3.4 million metric tons shortfall that hit Ethiopia this year.
The report said: "Food balance projections suggest that 12.8 million Ethiopians will meet none of their food needs in the 2004-05 production year, increasing to 14.3 million in 2005-06, 15.8 million in 2006-07 and 17.3 million in 2007-08."
