Some planting has taken place, but many farmers complain about the lack of sufficient rains, a fact which has been confirmed by the zonal department of agriculture. Until now the belg rains are not evenly distributed and the eastern part of the zone is comparatively better-off than the western part. Driving over the Chinese road from Woldiya up to the junction leading to Muja and Lalibella, most of the highland area is planted but somewhat slow in growth, awaiting adequate rainfall. Crossing Gedan wereda, the belg area north of Muja up to the ridge dividing the Tekeze from the Kobo watershed, only a few fields are planted and farmers have stopped land preparation for lack of rain, whereas the highlands of the eastern escarpment are mostly planted, with land preparation on-going on the remaining fields. According to the zonal department of agriculture, over half of the belg area is ploughed and partly planted.
Prospects look good and farmers are rather positive.
Accordingly, normal belg production in these areas will be lower than usual and when the current crop is harvested the fields will be mainly used for meher crops. Due to the generally bad meher harvest 1997, vulnerable households are facing food shortages and even better-off farmers expect problems in the near future. In Dessie, the mission observed women and children from Kobo, who have come all the way to the former capital of the old Welo province to beg. The same phenomenon has been reported from Woldiya. As usual at the beginning of the year, relief needs are generally covered by carry-over stocks from the previous year, whereas new food supplies are not yet available.