1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia

A severe famine in Ethiopia from 1983 to 1985, caused by drought, armed conflict, and government policies, that killed hundreds of thousands of people.

1983–1985 drought in Ethiopia: A prolonged failure of rainfall in Ethiopia that damaged crops and livestock during the early 1980s. Crop and pasture losses sharply reduced food supplies in famine-affected regions.
Ethiopian Revolution: The 1974 overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie and the political upheaval that followed. The revolution brought the Derg to power and transformed land ownership and state control.
Michael Buerk: A British journalist whose 1984 television report from Ethiopia brought the famine to international attention. His BBC report was a major catalyst for public awareness and fundraising.
Band Aid: A 1984 charity supergroup whose recording of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” raised funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. The single made the famine a major subject of popular culture and fundraising.
Famine early warning systems: Systems that monitor food production, markets, weather, and health to detect impending famine. The crisis raises questions about why warning signs did not prompt an earlier, stronger response.
Ethiopian Civil War: An armed conflict from 1974 to 1991 between Ethiopia’s government and multiple insurgent groups. Fighting disrupted farming, trade, and humanitarian access in famine-stricken areas.
Land reform in Ethiopia: The redistribution and nationalization of land begun by Ethiopia’s Derg government in 1975. Reform altered rural production and state authority before the famine.
Mohamed Amin: A Kenyan photojournalist and cameraman whose famine coverage from Ethiopia reached global audiences. His images and footage documented famine conditions for international news.
Live Aid: A pair of 1985 benefit concerts organized to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. The broadcasts brought an unprecedented global audience to the crisis.
Humanitarian aid in conflict zones: The delivery of relief to civilians in areas affected by armed conflict. Ethiopia illustrates the tension between reaching people and avoiding aid’s use by combatants.

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