A WOMAN from North Yorkshire has set up a project to help farming families in Ethiopia cope with drought.

Sarah Jackson, 32, has formed Verdant Ethiopa, to work with communities in the country's Afar and Somali regions, helping them improve grasslands and reverse the deterioration of land quality.

She hopes to raise £12,000 to help local farmers develop ways of maintaining the soil and vegetation, to make the land more resilient against drought, and capable of sustaining larger herds of cattle.

Miss Jackson, from Easingwold, said: "Ethiopia’s grasslands are degrading fast. Where 40 years ago there was shoulder high grass, today there is just bare ground.

“Pastoralists struggle to find sufficient grass for their animals, and in drought years like this year when the short rains have failed, they have to walk up to eight hours to find grass."

She said the continuing degradation of the grasslands made life harder for livestock, impacted on wildlife, increased the impact of drought and famine and contributed to climate change.

But she added: "This doesn’t have to be the case. Good management of the land and grazing can lead to healthy grasslands in even arid areas like the Ethiopian lowlands."

To help, or for more detail, visit igg.me/at/verdant or phone 01347-822299.