More than 16 million people, in six African nations, are currently
facing food shortages, that range from stressed to emergency levels food
insecurity, a recent report from Famine Early Warning Systems Network
(FEWSN) shows.
The affected countries include Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda,
Djibouti and Ethiopia, with poor rains, conflict, high food prices and
in some cases inability to access humanitarian assistance, seen as
driving factors.
According to FEWSN, climate forecast by the Greater Horn of Africa
Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF 31) for the June to September rains
reportedly indicate that the performance of these rains will be normal
to above normal in areas of East Africa that typically receive this
rain.
"These rains are the main rains in most parts of Ethiopia, Sudan,
South Sudan and Djibouti," the report says, while adding that Northern
Uganda and the northern and coastal parts of Somalia also receive rains
during this season.
However, since it got independence over a year ago, South Sudan's has
had murky relationship with neighbouring Sudan, often characterized by
clashes, counter accusation and each blaming the other for working to
allegedly destabilize each other's regime.
Also, poor harvest, macroeconomic instability and widespread conflict
in South Sudan could see more than 4.7 million people or almost half of
the country's population at risk of food shortage; a million of whom
could face severe consequences, according to a United Nations food
security assessment.
In a related development, the FEWSN report says, about 1.2 million
resident or host communities in the drought affected areas of North
Darfur face crisis levels of food insecurity, citing poor food
availability and high grain prices and in Jebel Mara due to the impacts
of conflict on trade and humanitarian access, as contributing factors.
"The rising pattern of insecurity is expected to cause new
displacement, reduce access by humanitarian agencies and reduce the flow
of and on food goods from central Sudan to Darfur resulting in even
more higher prices," the report warns.
At least US$427m of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the
U.N Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said
its annual report, were allocated to 11 U.N agencies and the
International Organization for Migration (IOM) last year.
According to the report, climate-related emergencies due to drought,
floods and storms, it says, received more than $149m from the fund,
while over $128m reportedly went to the Horn of Africa for people
affected by drought and food insecurity.
(http://allafrica.com)
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