14mn people face hunger in southern Africa: WFP
The UN World Food Program (WFP) says some 14 million people in southern Africa face hunger due to a drought that has been intensified by El Nino weather system.
“With little or no rain falling in many areas and the window for the planting of cereals closing fast or already closed in some countries, the outlook is alarming,” WFP said in a statement on Monday.
“The number of people without enough food could rise significantly over coming months as the region moves deeper into the so-called lean season,” it added.
The food agency also said that Malawi is the worst-affected country as 2.8 million or 16 percent of its population are at risk. Madagascar is the second country in WFP’s list of affected states with 1.9 million people predicted to go hungry.
The situation is also threatening in Zimbabwe as 10 percent of the population of about 1.5 million is facing hunger, WFP also said.
"WFP is looking to scale up its lean season food and cash-based assistance programs in the worst-hit countries but faces critical funding challenges," the agency further noted.
South Africa had its lowest rainfall last year since records started in 1904. According to South Africa’s Agriculture Minister Senzeni Zokwana, the region needs to import some 10.9 million metric tons of grains like wheat, soybeans and corn.
El Nino has influenced weather patterns across the world. It has caused warmer than normal temperatures in some parts of the world and brought huge rainfall in some others.
El Nino brought very high temperatures and dryness in southern Africa in Malawi, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia. The dry conditions are anticipated to continue until the beginning of autumn in southern hemisphere in April or May.
South Africa to file detailed dossier with top UN court on Israeli genocide
Putin: BRICS, not the West, will drive global economic prosperity
Pentagon says completed US military withdrawal from Niger
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
VIDEO | Nurses protest against Israeli genocide at UN HQ
VIDEO | France-Israel football row
VIDEO | Archbishop of Canterbury quits over handling of abuse by pedo volunteer John Smyth
Hezbollah hits Tel Aviv with ballistic missiles; debuts tactical rocket in anti-Israeli struggle
VIDEO | Iraqi resistance fighters strike ‘vital targets’ across occupied territories
VIDEO | Hezbollah leader to fighters: You are the pride shaking foundations of Zionism
Iran not worried that Trump may toughen oil sanctions: Minister
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
