Causes and Characteristics of Drought in Ethiopia.
1988
Tesfaye Haile
Drought is a recurrent phenomenon. In Ethiopia droughts have occurred quasi-periodically during the last several centuries. Drought is characterized by many facets. The causes of drought are either natural or manmade or both. Scientific investigations have revealed that the primary cause is the fluctuation of the general atmospheric circulation. As a consequence of such fluctuations the rain-producing components for Ethiopia have been weakened or dislocated during drought years. Human interferences such as deforestation, overgrazing and over cultivation enhance the severity and prolongation of drought recurrences. In Ethiopia drought-prone regions have already been identified. However, the rainfall analyses do not show distinct characteristics concerning trend or periodicity of drought occurrences in the country. In view of this, it is essential to evaluate the magnitude, severity and possible periodicity of drought incidents in Ethiopia.
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