admin | October 10, 2016
More than one million people are facing famine in southern Madagascar. The country is facing a food crisis after three years of drought, made worse by this year’s El Niño. It is estimated that 80% of harvests were lost this year.
The World Food Programme has stepped in to provide emergency aid and food, with a particular focus on pregnant women and children. The executive director of the World Food Programme, Ertharin Cousin, visited Madagascar for three days in early October.
“I met women who told me they had nothing to feed their babies except the fruit of the red cactus growing by the roadside,” said Ms. Cousin after her visit to Tsihombe district, where nearly all households are food insecure. “It’s vital in these situations that we and our partners ensure that no child goes hungry and that every child gets the nutrition he or she needs.”
To read the full article, go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=55215#.V_YNmPl97IU
Photo credit: WFP/David Orr