Tinseu Hiluf, a widow residing in the dry terrain of Ethiopia’s Tigray region, is facing the harsh consequences of both war and drought. She is now caring for her four nieces and nephews after her sister passed away during childbirth.

A conflict lasting two years between government soldiers and local fighters resulted in the death of one of her sons, while her remaining children are now grown. The ongoing severe drought in the region has led to a scarcity of food and malnourishment in the youngest child under her care.

She attempts to collect seeds within the limited greenery of the arid, yellow and rocky desert terrain. However, she has now resorted to journeying to the Finarwa medical facility in southeastern Tigray in an attempt to save the one-year-old child.

She stated that when we are hungry, we will eat anything found in the desert, but otherwise we will not eat anything.

A group of mothers, including a woman with five children and another with 1-year-old twins, sought assistance at a center located in the isolated administrative region of Nebar Hadnet. The mother with five children expressed concerns about not having enough breastmilk for her eight-month-old baby, while the mother of twins requested packets of baby food to ensure her children’s survival.

Despite the current peace in Tigray, the aftermath of war is still evident due to a combination of drought and mismanagement of aid, resulting in the temporary suspension of deliveries by the U.N. and the U.S. in the previous year.

The once flourishing fields are now empty. Worried mothers can only watch as their children suffer from malnutrition. According to the national ombudsman, approximately 400 individuals died from starvation in Tigray and Amhara, which the federal government rarely acknowledges.

The majority of these fatalities occurred in Tigray, which has a population of 5.5 million.

Prior to the peace agreement being signed in November 2022, the area experienced a violent war between government soldiers and supporters of the recently overthrown ruling party. However, following the resolution of the conflict, the United Nations and the United States suspended food assistance to Tigray due to a corrupt scheme orchestrated by Ethiopian officials in which humanitarian grain was stolen.

The growing season that followed was insufficient.

Due to ongoing insecurity, the agricultural land in Tigray was only utilized for planting by 49% during the primary planting season last year, as stated in a report by a coalition of U.N. agencies, non-governmental organizations, and local officials. As a result of drought, the crop yield in these regions was significantly reduced to 37% of the projected amount. In certain areas, the proportion was even lower, measuring at only 2%.

The inadequate harvest resulted in Tigray’s officials issuing a warning about an imminent famine that could parallel the 1984-5 famine that caused the deaths of numerous individuals in northern Ethiopia. They emphasized the urgency of increasing the aid response if this crisis is to be avoided. Despite food deliveries being made to Tigray during the latter half of the past year, only a small portion of the struggling population in Tigray is actually receiving food assistance, according to humanitarian workers.

Finarwa, a rural community with approximately 13,000 residents, is one of the areas that has been most severely impacted.

The health center in the town is still operating with damaged equipment and some of its rooms seem to be neglected. According to Tadesse Mehari, who is in charge of the clinic, the shortage of food in the community has led to children leaving and begging in neighboring towns.

“There is no food available here. As a result, people are forced to seek sustenance and relocate far from this place in order to survive,” he explained. “A large number of individuals in this region are experiencing great hardship. They are deprived of food and losing their lives as a result of its absence.”

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“Can you assist me, Hayale, please?” she asked.

Hayale informed the woman that he had nothing to offer. “I have no (food) available,” he stated.

Later on, Hayale shared with the AP, “This location was once a beacon of hope for those impacted by the war. We had enough for all, but now we struggle to even provide for ourselves.”

“He stated that the war had taken everything and there was nothing remaining.”

According to Havale, the availability of water posed an extra obstacle. Out of the 25 wells that used to supply the community and its livestock, only five are still operational. He mentioned that individuals now have to travel for more than 90 minutes to obtain water.

The drought in the region has led to a significant decrease in precipitation, with some areas receiving only a few days of rain instead of the usual 60 during the rainy season.

Several farmers are determined to persist.

Haile Gebre Kirstos, who is 70 years old, persisted in tending to his dry fields and sowing sorghum in his village of Messebo. Despite the fact that there was only two days of rain during the previous rainy season, he remained dedicated to his work.

Formerly abundant and full of animals, the area is currently a desolate stretch, but he stayed optimistic despite the disappointment of the previous crop.

Even though ploughing traditionally starts during the rainy season in May or June, this year, he began the work ahead of schedule due to dire circumstances. He mentioned how some farmers have resorted to selling their oxen and farming tools in order to provide for their families.

He is haunted by the memory of the famine in the 1980s. He stated that it had a widespread impact on the region and now, in certain districts, the situation is either just as dire as the 1980s or even more severe.

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