Throughout Ethiopia's history, drought has been synonymous with hunger, and hunger with death. In most other countries, however, drought does not lead to hunger or death; the delay in insufficient volume of seasonal rains does not result in food shortage. In fact, some countries have become so accustomed to drought that hunger and death are no longer agendas which bother them.

Sadly, in Ethiopia's case, food production is so dependent on rain-based agriculture and the yield of a single season's crop is able to last only until the next season that any delay or shortage in rainfall gives rise to a disastrous famine. That is why the international media, when hearing of reports of rainfall delay or shortage, accompany the stories they do on the situation with previous pictures of severly malnourished children in anticipation that there will be widespread hunger and death.  

Presently, the threat of drought-induced food shortage and death is looming over Ethiopia. The world is training its eyes on us to see how the situation unfolds. It is no wonder then that the Ethiopian people and government are experiencing frustration and shame. Are the harrowing pictures of hunger-stricken Ethiopians always going to be our image? How can we change this?

The reaction of the public and the government to drought should not be dictated by reports and pictures coming from the international media. This would be the wrong way to go about and is ineffective.

The proper way to go about it would be for the government to assess the extent of the current drought and hunger so as to be able to determine the course of action which needs to be taken to forestall preventable deaths.   

It is futile to argue over whether the current drought is more or less acute and devastating than the 2003 famine. Instead, all efforts should be geared towards finding a concrete and prompt solution to the problem.

The ongoing denouncement by Ethiopia's state-owned media of international media for "exaggerating" the extent of the drought and the number of affected persons must stop. It is their duty to disclose to the world the information that it must obtain. It would be irresponsible to take comfort in the fact that the intensity of the problem is less severe compared to the previous one and thus to be less on one's guard. Hence, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that we take measures which are commensurate with the threat posed by the problem.

Why does drought invariably lead to hunger and death in Ethiopia? Should the absence of rain always result in food shortage? It can be argued that food shortage necessarily gives rise to hunger and eventually death. But this does not have to be the perspective from which we look at the problem.  

Can't we produce enough food without depending on seasonal rains through such methods as irrigation? Isn't it possible to overcome food shortage through extension service and hunger and death by producing surplus food in areas which receive regular rainfall? Are we incapable of storing surplus grain for use during rainy days? Do we have no policies which we must rethink or change?

It is to such key issues that we must attach utmost importance and act accordingly. All stakeholders, including the government and the public at large, must set aside political and individual differences and be engaged in a concerted effort to solve our own problem. It is when we do precisely this that the international community and media will stand by us.

The present food shortage in Ethiopia is occurring at a time of a backbreaking rise in the price of oil, food and constriction materials. As such, it would be difficult to obtain the required assistance, both local and international. Thus, we need to pay particular attention to how we can overcome it.

This is why we need a special sense of solidarity and extra effort on the part of each and every Ethiopian. Let's seize this opportunity to change our history to demonstrate to the world that in Ethiopia drought will no longer mean that our compatriots will go hungry or die just because the rains have failed!

Let's bring to an end Ethiopia's history of a drought-induced hunger killing our citizens!