Live Aid appeal held on 13th July 1985, organised by Bob Geldoff to raise funds for the Ethiopian famine. Since then, farming and long term development aid have reduced some of the problems in affected areas. However, populations have increased, governments development policies have been weak and erosion of soils has damaged more farmland so that each new famine seems just as bad as the last.

But why is the pattern of famine so regular? It seems that the fluctuations of heat energy within the tropical part of the global climate system have to take much of the blame .The Pacific Ocean covers over a 3rd. of the area near the equator, and although it is round the other side of the world to Africa, what happens there has an impact on Africa's and even our climate.

In normal years the West Pacific near Australia is hotter than the east Pacific near South America . This gives rain in India, Australia and , because of the global air circulations , the Sahel area of Africa.

One or twice in every decade a heat reversal takes place called El-Nino. During El-Nino years the East Pacific is warmer than the west and then there are floods in South America but droughts in Australia, India and North East Africa. Because people in the Horn Of Africa are so poor and rely totally on their own crops for food, the drought causes crop failure and famine.

Last century El-Nino events occurred approximately once every decade but more recently they have become more frequent and intense. This is very bad news for everyone as there will be more droughts, famines and related need for aid. Some scientists have suggested that this is part of the evidence that shows climate change is taking place.