Foreign Correspondent: Ethiopia's nomadic pastoralists doing it tough

SUBJECTS:  Geography

YEARS:  9–10

In 2008, Ethiopia's famines just keep coming, fuelled by prolonged periods of drought, rising food prices and an increasing population.

Listen to aid worker Valerie Browning in a program aired that year, as she describes how nomadic pastoralists living in the remote regions of Afar try to survive and make their livelihood under very difficult conditions.

Things to think about

1. 1.What comes to mind when you hear the term pastoralist? Do you get an image of remote areas of Australia where farmers graze sheep or cattle over vast properties? Have you heard about nomadic pastoralists or nomadic herders in Africa? What livestock do you think they would have?
2. 2.Aid worker Valerie Browning states that 'Ethiopia is suffering more and more drought'. What's her observation about the pattern of drought? Listen for what Valerie says about grain prices in recent times. Think about their likely impact on households that rely on grain for food. Look for three types of livestock that make up the herd of the nomadic pastoralists. Think about the benefits of this variety.
3. 3.In dry remote areas why would pastoral farming be more suitable than crop growing? How do you think nomadic pastoralists decide on where to graze their livestock and when to leave? What would they need to know about the surrounding area? Often these nomadic herders keep at least three or four different types of livestock. Why might this be an advantage in time of crisis?
4. 4.Find out in which countries pastoralism is a form of farming livestock. Find out the types of livestock suited to different regions. Create a map of what you find. What do these regions have in common? What factors affect the livelihood of pastoralists?

Date of broadcast: 25 Nov 2008

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