From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Wed Jun 10 2009 - 04:36:02 EDT
WFP warns millions face hunger in Horn of Africa region
2009-06-10 22:49:08
NAIROBI, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN World Food Program (WFP) on Tuesday
warned that millions of people in the Horn of Africa are once again facing a
deadly mix of persistent drought, poor seasonal rains, conflict, and the
cost of food which remains high in many developing countries.
In a statement issued in Nairobi, the UN agency said the impact of the
global financial crisis was threatening to exacerbate levels of hunger and
desperation across the region.
"We are knocking on the door of a major regional crisis," said Ramiro
Lopes da Silva, WFP's special envoy for the Horn of Africa.
"The situation is not getting better -- if anything, we're seeing it get
worse. We must all redouble our efforts to protect and assist the weakest."
Seasonal rains in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia have been weak and
erratic. In Ethiopia, only 50 to 70 percent of land planned for planting was
sown by mid-April as farmers awaited the rains.
The picture is little different in Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands, and
in Somalia cattle are already reported to be dying in large numbers.
WFP is currently providing food assistance to 17 million people in the
Horn of Africa region.
But funding for many of its operations is low at a time when the numbers
of hungry people in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, northern Uganda and Djibouti
are expected to rise in the coming months.
Humanitarian assistance is vital for people who are struggling to
survive as they sell off assets in a bid to survive the successive years of
drought and conflict, combined with the high price of food on local markets.
"Millions of people across the region are seeing their lives spiral
steadily downwards as this frightening confluence of factors -- all beyond
their control -- pushes them closer to destitution," said Lopes da Silva.
Food prices remain unusually high in many parts of the Horn, stretching
family resources to breaking point.
Although prices have come down in some places, cereal prices in some
parts of Somalia at the start of the year were still up to eight times above
normal levels. In Kenya, maize prices in March were 43 percent higher than
last year.
Remittances to the region -- a vital support system for many --have also
fallen, in large part due to the global financial crisis.
The urban poor are battling inflation on many everyday goods, while
salaries remain static and employment is hard to find.
"We are already reaching millions by using our limited resources
intelligently and creatively, but there is no disguising the worrying gaps
in our budget for our operations in the Horn," said Lopes da Silva.
"We appreciate that the global financial crisis is squeezing resources
everywhere, but we are urging donors to step forward quickly and generously,
before it is too late."
In the face of these growing challenges, WFP has a shortfall for its
operations in the Horn of Africa of almost 450 million U.S. dollars over the
next six months.
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