Green famine is the term used for a condition in which a country or area is suffering famine even though the fields are green in the absence of drought—it was described as "suffering amongst the plenty".[1] The famine is caused by such problems as "high food prices, coupled with high birth rates and poor land management",[2] flooding,[1] and sometimes man-made ecological problems such as water shortages and deforestation.[3] It is sometimes caused by a poor harvest in the prior year that causes a depletion of food stores during the winter months, thus a lack of food in the spring and summer even when the coming harvest looks "green" and potentially bountiful.
The phenomenon was noted in Sidamo Province, Ethiopia, as early as the 1980s, when bacterial disease and poor rains caused the destruction of much of the ensete crop[4] after farmers had to sell their crops rather than eat them in order to pay heavy taxes;[5] in the 1990s, when after a dry spell the sorghum was growing but carried no seed;[6] and again in the 2000s,[2][7] when "recent rains [in 2003] created a lush landscape which masks severe hunger".[8]
In the 1990s North Korea suffered from a period of famine caused by poor weather and inefficient transport. This period became known as the "Arduous March"; political changes in countries which formerly supported the North Korean economy reduced or eliminated sources of external support.[9]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Tekle, Mekete Bekele (2013). Frank Maes (ed.). Biodiversity and Climate Change: Linkages at International, National and Local Levels. An Cliquet, Willemien du Plessis, Heather McLeod-Kilmurray. Edward Elgar. pp. 94–121. ISBN 9781782546894.
- ^ a b Braden, Susan (14 November 2008). "Ethiopia's Green Famine". The Globalist. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
- ^ Ewing, Keith (12 August 2000). "Ethiopia prey to a deceptive 'green famine'". The Independent. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
- ^ Webb, Patrick; Braun, Joachim Von; Yohannes, Yisehac (1992). Famine in Ethiopia: Policy Implications of Coping Failure at National and Household Levels. Intl Food Policy Res Inst. p. 139. ISBN 9780896290952.
- ^ Curtis, Donald; Hubbard, Michael; Shepherd, Andrew (2008). Preventing Famine: Policies and Prospects for Africa. Routledge. pp. 88–89. ISBN 9781134986200.
- ^ Davis, Lee Allyn (2009). Natural Disasters. Infobase. p. 113. ISBN 9781438118789.
- ^ "'Green famine' in Ethiopia: understanding the causes of increasing vulnerability to food insecurity and policy responses in the Southern Ethiopian highlands". Sussex Research Online. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
- ^ "Drought Stricken Ethiopian Farmers Suffer Green Famine". The Rodale Institute. 12 June 2003. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
- ^ "North Koreans Brace For Hardship During Winter Ahead". The Huffington Post. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2015.