A web of violence, past droughts, and current dry conditions is ensnaring Ethiopia in an ongoing food crisis. Last week, the Ethiopian government called for $1.3 billion in emergency food and non-food assistance for 8.3 million people in 2019. The number of people requiring emergency aid is up 5 percent from last year, largely due to an escalation of violence between communities in southwestern Ethiopia.

The country’s persistent food insecurity can also be ascribed to recurring drought. In 2016-2017, parts of Ethiopia endured the worst drought in decades due to the El Nino weather phenomenon. Rainfall improved in 2018, but dry conditions are once again creeping into the country’s southern and southwestern regions, crippling crops and vegetation.