Ethiopia's most recent history has been marked by a fusion of famine, ecological disaster, and massive poverty. This despite the country's considerable resources: fertile land not yet under intensive cultivation, grazing land underused, and enormous water resources are poorly exploited. Little research has been done to explain this incongruity. Girma Kebbede fills in this gap by providing a thorough examination of major socio-economic and political factors that have kept the majority of the Ethiopian population poor and extremely vulnerable to adverse natural phenomena. This book will be of interest to development policymakers, environmentalists, development aid donors, and non-governmental organisations involved in development activities in Africa.