WFP Says 6.5 Million People Need Relief Food in Southern Africa

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, August 26, 2003

WFP Says 6.5 Million People Need Relief Food in Southern Africa

About 400,000 tons of relief food is needed to feed 6.5 million starving people in southern Africa before next June, the World Food Program (WFP) said in Lusaka Monday.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

About 400,000 tons of relief food is needed to feed 6.5 million starving people in southern Africa before next June, the World Food Program (WFP) said in Lusaka Monday.

Mike Sacket, the WFP regional director for southern Africa, said the food is needed for distribution to six countries in the region, particularly Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

The other countries are Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho and Swaziland.

While accompanying a delegation from the OPEC Fund for International Development on a food crisis assessment tour in Lusaka, Sacket said the WFP has in July appealed for 308 million US dollars to provide half a million tons of food.

The WFP has so far got pledges for 62 million dollars, including 9.2 million dollars from the OPEC fund, but pledges for the other 246 million dollars are still required.

He noted that although the food situation has recently improvedin several southern African countries thanks mainly to favorite weather conditions during the last farming season, the population of poor and vulnerable people is still large.

Richard Ragan, the WFP country representative in Zambia, said the aid agency has released 12 million dollars for food aid in Africa, including 9.4 million dollars for the southern African region.

He said the WFP has purchased 2,500 tons of maize, vegetable oil and corn soya blend (CSB) for distribution in Zambia, where itis targeting to feed 200,000 HIV/AID orphans and other vulnerable children.

Lena Savelli, public information officer at the WFP Zambia representative office, said the WFP is carrying out a five-year program that aims to help malnutritioned people, to feed school children and raise the income-generating capacity of vulnerable households.

The OPEC fund delegation, headed by its director-general SeyyidAbdulai, arrived in Lusaka Sunday and visited the Flame Center fororphans and vulnerable children and the Chilanga hospice for HIV/AIDs patients, both in Lusaka, Monday.

The delegation is expected to meet Zambian Vice President Nevers Mumba before leaving for other countries in the region Tuesday.

At the end of the visit to the Flame Center, the director-general said the fund has been focusing on agriculture, transportation and education projects, but he believes there is a need to give more priority to agriculture, considering what he hasseen on the visit.

Questions?Comments? Click here

WFP and IFAD Offer More Aid to China's Agriculture Sector

WFP Provides Food for Mozambique's Storm Victims

US Conducts Land-based Missile Test ( 2 Messages)

Chinese Personages Appeal to Japan to Face up to History ( 2 Messages)

Disgraced Official Highlights Chinks in System ( 3 Messages)

Beijing's Economy Forecast to Grow 9-10 Percent in 2003 ( 2 Messages)

China Puts New Anti-AIDS Drug in Clinical Use ( 2 Messages)