World Food Programme triples aid for Niger where more and more people face serious food shortage

Thursday, 14 July 2005

Rome (Fides Service)- The United Nations World Food Programme WFP has launched a plan to almost triple the number of people receiving food aid in Niger with emergency programmes bringing the number of those assisted to more than one million while the annual “hunger season” is gripping this country one of the poorest in the world. Young children are the most vulnerable. A recent survey showed that between 2.4 and 2.9 percent of children under five do not have enough to eat and the overall rate is about 20 per cent.
In most affected areas the rate of serious malnutrition reaches 6%. This year conditions in Niger are very serious due to drought and the worst invasion of locusts in 15 years.
Many NGOs are arrivino in Niger to start feeling programmes. WFP will provide free food rations to mothers who take their children to specialised feeling centres. Other vulnerable families will also receive aid from the Niger government and NGOs.
“Children are dying and adults are starting to feel hungry”, said Gian Carlo Cirri director of WFP Niger calling for speedy response for the worst food crisis ever in Niger. "As we have said time and time again Niger needs help today not tomorrow". WFP assistance was delayed because of lack of funds and difficulty in purchasing food in the region. Food supplies have arrived via west African ports and international markets. Thanks to international press attention for Niger most of the funds requested by WFP to feed 465,000 people came in the last six weeks but FFP still needs 12 million dollars to feed about 1.2 million people. Even in good years the rate of malnutrition among children is extremely high in Niger. And 82% of the people depend on aid for farming and livestock activities while only 15% of the land is arable and severe drought means farming depend entirely on rainfall. The international community cannot leave Niger to live in perennial conditions of poverty. We have the means to change the situation and we must use them quickly” said Cirri. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 14/7/2005 righe 36 parole 478)


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