Atlas Final Web Version 6_14

Seasonality and Livelihoods
Rural households in Ethiopia are deeply linked to the cycles of seasonal change. The onset
of the rains, the peak of the rains, the end of the rains - each signals a new set of activities,
and each translates into varied degrees of reliance on different food and income sources.
Annual patterns of livelihood are an amalgamation of these seasonal variations. Ethiopia
is particularly complex when it comes to seasonal variability. The following chapter helps
untangle this complexity. We learn what forces create the distinct rainfall patterns in
Ethiopia, and how these rainfall patterns translate into seasonal production patterns. We
find out when the hunger seasons occur and where; and we investigate why it is that
seasonal paid labor is so critical for poor households when it comes to making it through
the hunger season. Finally, new light is shed on the most appropriate time to conduct
seasonal assessments in Ethiopia, and just how much lead time is required in different
livelihood zones for a timely response.