AFRICA - Food emergency and hunger map

Rome (Agenzia Fides) - 36 countries have been heavily hit by the increase in the cost of food supplies. Of these 36, 21 are in Africa, 9 in Asia, 4 in Latin America, and 2 in Europe. A study performed by the FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, has resulted in the creation of an illustration of a map showing the planet´s emergency situation (see Fides 15/4/2008) that is now appearing on the front pages of the international press. The International Herald Tribune begins its issue with an article on the scarce rice production in Australia that threatens the countries that depend on Australian exports for their food supply. The drop in Australian rice production, due to severe drought, has been one of the factors in the doubled cost of grains on the international market in the last 3 months, sparking protests for the cost of living in various countries, especially in the continent of Africa. One of these countries is Senegal, whose President Abdoulaye Wade who, in an interview with Le Figaro, explained that since Senegal’s colonial days, rice has been its staple food. While the local production amounts to only 200,000 tons per year, the annual consummation rate is 800,000 tons. Thus, the country is forced to import 600,000 tons. Due to the soaring prices, in the 2006-2007 fiscal year Senegal spent over 250 million Euros in subsidies for the purchase of rice. In order to resolve the situation, the President of Senegal is making efforts to increase local production and in addition to other initiatives, he is launching a project to use water from the Senegal River, as well as asking for aid from experts of India and South Korea.
However, many Africans are criticizing the decisions made in agricultural and economic policies by international economic organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. In order to pay the external debt, they have had to cut funding for health and education, as well as the investments in aqueducts and agricultural production.
Among the countries being affected by the rise in the cost of rice is Equatorial Guinea, that has announced an embargo on exports of all kinds of food products and wood, in efforts to maintain lower prices. In recent days, there have been demonstrations that threaten to hurl the country into chaos, after last year’s protests against President Lasana Conte (see Fides 26/2/2007).
According to the FAO report, the hunger map is as follows: Lesotho (drought), Somalia (conflicts and adverse climate patterns), Swaziland (prolonged drought), Zimbabwe (economic crisis and recent floods), Eritrea (refugee influx), Liberia (post-conflict difficulties), Mauritania (prologed drought), Sierra Leone (post-conflict difficulties), Burundi (civil war and refugee influx), Central African Republic (refugees), Chad (internal and border conflict), Democratic Republic of Congo (civil war), Congo (refugees), Ivory Coast (civil war), Ethiopia (scarcity in crops), Ghana (drought and floods), Guinea (refugees), Guinea Bissau (lack of food security), Kenya (adverse climate patterns and civil conflict), Sudan (war), Uganda (civil war in the north). (LM) (Agenzia Fides 17/4/2008, righe 39, parole 502)