Yaqer, one of the 17 vicinity in Central Tigray’s Kola Temben district, is facing an alarming humanitarian crisis as persistent drought and total crop failure have pushed residents into deep starvation and psychological trauma. Residents of Yaqer report to face a life-threatening crisis as months of drought have destroyed crops, wiped out livestock, and left families starving and desperate.
“We are dying of starvation,” says Teqebash Seifu, a mother of two. “We have nothing left to sell or buy. I’ve been bedridden since May. I farmed last year, but the land gave us nothing. Now, there is no food and no hope.”
Welderufael Teklehaimanot, a father of five, echoes his pain. “We are losing our breath from hunger. I’ve been sick in bed for four months. There’s absolutely nothing in this vicinity. There is nothing to eat, nothing to survive on. My whole family is starving.”
Another resident, Sibhatleab Asgedom, has watched his livelihood vanish before his eyes. “I had six cattle. Four are dead, one is at the verge of dying, and one donkey died with them. Of my 15 sheep, only two are left. Five of my ten goats are gone. We used to rely on April and May rains. August is the month crops are supposed to grow. But nothing is growing. The animals have no grass to eat. They’re dying. We’re dying. The worst suffering is for the livestock, but we are next.”
The crisis is further intensified by Yaqer’s isolation from all other vicinities. “There is no road access,” said Gebre Asegu from Yaqer’s Social Affairs Office. “Severe hardships are happening, but the area is almost unreachable. The people are suffering in silence.”
Head of the Rural Economic Development Sector in Kola Temben district, Goitom Gebrehawaria confirms the loss of tens of thousands of livestock and growing desperation among the residents. He says 700 hectares of farmland in Yaqer have been sown three times this year, but each attempt has failed due to lack of rain. “There’s been no harvest at all. The people are at extreme risk,” he stated.
Yaqer, once known for its rich livestock resources, is now facing mass animal death.
According to Goitom, drought has caused the death of 13,500 goats, 4,500 sheep, 900 donkeys, 185 cattle, and a colony of 200 bees. In total, over 27,000 livestock have died in recent months. “Some households lost 50 goats, 5 cows, and 28 sheep. Donkeys are particularly vulnerable. These farmers are not just facing hunger. They are in deep mental crisis, especially after everything they suffered during the war,” he added.
With no rain, no roads, and no relief, Yaqer stands on the edge of total collapse. Residents and officials alike are calling for urgent humanitarian action before more lives are lost.
