Its population. estimated at 3 millicn. is 70 percent nomadic. The country has suffered severe drought for the past 4 years. and as the intensity of the drought mounted. the nomads lost 60 to 80 percent of their livestock. the mainstay of both their food and livelihood. An estimated 17.000 persons died from famine or related medical problems and a quarter of a million nomadic people were moved into refugee camps. Now these herdsmen from the droughtstricken areas of the northwest are being moved into the southern region where the objective is to completely change their way of life. According to plans. about onethird will be moved into settled agriculture. onethird will become fishermen. and the remainder will revert to nomadic life.