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05/11/2003
Fall in food aid funding could see millions starve
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has said today that funding for its operations in southern Africa was at less than half of what was needed and unless donations pick up some 6.5 million people "will face severe hunger".
The WFP said today that it needs some $193 million to fully fund a $311 million appeal, launched in July, for food aid for Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Malawi, Zambia and Lesotho.
"Unless WFP receives immediate donations, 6.5 million people will face severe hunger at the most critical time of year," the period between planting and harvesting, the agency said in a press statement from its Johannesburg office.
"Generous contributions have helped to stave off immediate cuts in WFP food distributions, but from January, countries across the region are confronted by the three-month lean season.
"Supplies of locally produced food in critical areas will be scarce and people's ability to cope is already limited because of the food shortages of recent years."
The shortages are most acute in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where food availability has decreased over the last year, the agency said, with Zimbabwe accounting for about two thirds of the appeal.
WFP has been carrying out emergency feeding in the region since 2001. The peak of operations was reached last year when 10.2 million people received WFP food aid, the agency said.
(gmcg)
The WFP said today that it needs some $193 million to fully fund a $311 million appeal, launched in July, for food aid for Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Malawi, Zambia and Lesotho.
"Unless WFP receives immediate donations, 6.5 million people will face severe hunger at the most critical time of year," the period between planting and harvesting, the agency said in a press statement from its Johannesburg office.
"Generous contributions have helped to stave off immediate cuts in WFP food distributions, but from January, countries across the region are confronted by the three-month lean season.
"Supplies of locally produced food in critical areas will be scarce and people's ability to cope is already limited because of the food shortages of recent years."
The shortages are most acute in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where food availability has decreased over the last year, the agency said, with Zimbabwe accounting for about two thirds of the appeal.
WFP has been carrying out emergency feeding in the region since 2001. The peak of operations was reached last year when 10.2 million people received WFP food aid, the agency said.
(gmcg)
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