Famine to be declared in Horn of Africa
unless more food is sent to area
04 July, 2011 | By Louise Gray and Mike Pflanz (Telegraph)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aid agencies have warned that famine will be declared in the
Horn of Africa unless more food and aid is pumped into the
area.
A combination of failed rains and soaring global food prices has left
more than 12 million people living in remote areas across Ethiopia,
Kenya and Somalia facing hunger, according to aid agencies.
Oxfam has launched its largest ever appeal to try and stop famine.
Save the Children say that more than a quarter of children in the
worst-hit parts of Kenya are now dangerously malnourished.
and 2 years of drought and it is estimated 40 per cent of population
“in crisis”.
Speaking from Dadaab, David Orr, of the World Food
Programme, said the area has seen the second lowest rainfall in 60
years.
He said the Famine Early Warning System Network or
FEWSNET, set up to help aid agencies prepare for situations like
the Ethiopian drought, is currently carrying out surveys to ascertain
the needs of the area.
“It is an extremely severe drought situation,” he said. “It is certainly
at critical level.”
Sonia Zambakides, of Save the Children in Somalia, said the area is
experiencing the "most severe" food crisis in the world today.
The charity say they have half the funds needed to help.
“It is very close to a famine,” she said. “There are very specific
markers that are used globally to declare a famine. At the moment
those have not been reached. But a nutritional and food security
survey being carried out in Somalia at the moment. Results of that
will be in within two or three weeks and we will know if it is a
famine then,” she told the BBC.
Oxfam are appealing for £50 million to reach 3 million people in dire
need of clean water, food and basic sanitation.
Jane Cocking, Humanitarian Director at the charity, said more aid is
needed.
“This is the worst food crisis of the 21st Century and we are
seriously concerned that large numbers of lives could soon be lost,”
she said. “Two successive poor rains, entrenched poverty and lack
of investment in affected areas have pushed 12 million people into a
fight for survival. People have already lost virtually everything and
the crisis is only going to get worse over the coming months.
:: The European commission is to give €10m (£9m) in urgent food
aid to North Koreans on the brink of starvation, after negotiating for
"unprecedented access" to ensure that the food goes straight to
those most in need.
The money will be used to buy food, through the World Food
Programme and Save the Children, which will be directed to
650,000 children in hospitals and care homes, breastfeeding
women, hospital patients and the elderly.
Courtesy
unless more food is sent to area
04 July, 2011 | By Louise Gray and Mike Pflanz (Telegraph)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aid agencies have warned that famine will be declared in the
Horn of Africa unless more food and aid is pumped into the
area.
A combination of failed rains and soaring global food prices has left
more than 12 million people living in remote areas across Ethiopia,
Kenya and Somalia facing hunger, according to aid agencies.
Oxfam has launched its largest ever appeal to try and stop famine.
Save the Children say that more than a quarter of children in the
worst-hit parts of Kenya are now dangerously malnourished.
- In the world biggest
refugee camp in
Dadaab in Northern
Kenya, designed for
90,000 people, there
are fears the
population could
reach 500,000.
- More than 1,300
new are arriving
every day needing
food and shelter.
and 2 years of drought and it is estimated 40 per cent of population
“in crisis”.
Speaking from Dadaab, David Orr, of the World Food
Programme, said the area has seen the second lowest rainfall in 60
years.
He said the Famine Early Warning System Network or
FEWSNET, set up to help aid agencies prepare for situations like
the Ethiopian drought, is currently carrying out surveys to ascertain
the needs of the area.
“It is an extremely severe drought situation,” he said. “It is certainly
at critical level.”
Sonia Zambakides, of Save the Children in Somalia, said the area is
experiencing the "most severe" food crisis in the world today.
The charity say they have half the funds needed to help.
“It is very close to a famine,” she said. “There are very specific
markers that are used globally to declare a famine. At the moment
those have not been reached. But a nutritional and food security
survey being carried out in Somalia at the moment. Results of that
will be in within two or three weeks and we will know if it is a
famine then,” she told the BBC.
Oxfam are appealing for £50 million to reach 3 million people in dire
need of clean water, food and basic sanitation.
Jane Cocking, Humanitarian Director at the charity, said more aid is
needed.
“This is the worst food crisis of the 21st Century and we are
seriously concerned that large numbers of lives could soon be lost,”
she said. “Two successive poor rains, entrenched poverty and lack
of investment in affected areas have pushed 12 million people into a
fight for survival. People have already lost virtually everything and
the crisis is only going to get worse over the coming months.
:: The European commission is to give €10m (£9m) in urgent food
aid to North Koreans on the brink of starvation, after negotiating for
"unprecedented access" to ensure that the food goes straight to
those most in need.
The money will be used to buy food, through the World Food
Programme and Save the Children, which will be directed to
650,000 children in hospitals and care homes, breastfeeding
women, hospital patients and the elderly.
Courtesy
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| A Somali refugee holds her child in her arms outside a food distribution point in Dadaab, the world's biggest refugee camp Photo: AFP/GETTY |