therinderpestfactorinthegreatfamineofethiopia.docVIP

The Rinderpest factor in the Great Famine of Ethiopia Famines are enormously complex social and biological phenomena and it is quite hopeless to expect a generic theory of their origins or consequences…(Watts, 1987). During the late 19th century, Ethiopia suffered one of the worst famines in the country’s history. The intensity and the ripple effect of the various factors that contributed to the famine make this period a crucial point in the country’s history. The social structure, the economy, the political makeup, the climate and the land, and outside influences all contributed to the long dark days in Ethiopian history commonly referred as Kifu Ken, meaning ‘mean days’ or ‘evil days’. The historical account slightly varies among those chronicled by historians and those passed orally from generation to generation. One of the outcomes of the Great Famine is the drastic alteration of Ethiopian historical path and especially that of Africa. By examining each piece that played a role in the formation of the Great Famine of the late 19th century, we can see where each piece intersects. In order to understand the relationship between the factors it is important to look at the climate, the land, social structure, socio-economic and political makeup, outside influences, and all other calamities that befell the people. For each factor, on its own, would not have resulted in the same merciless devastation as it did when in combination with the other factors. Due to Ethiopia’s geographical location and landscape, the spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall has brought about three main seasons, which differ from the common two seasons typically found in most tropical areas (Degefu, 1987). The three seasons are known as Bega (dry season or summer), Kiremt (long rains) and Belg (short rains). These seasons are the basic guidelines for the country’s agricultural structure. Kiremt is the main planting season for most food corps whereas the Belg is used for long se