BEIJING –The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today announced a new partnership with HNA Group – a leading China-based corporation - to fight hunger globally.

A US$1.6 million agreement (10 million RMB) between HNA Group and WFP was signed today in Beijing by WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin and HNA Group Chairman Chen Feng. The funds will help WFP provide take-home rations to promote girls’ education under its school meals programme in Ghana.

La recherche sur les politiques alimentaires au service de la réduction de la pauvreté et de la faim

FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT

• Above-average cereal production in 2012, despite erratic precipitation in parts of the country

• Access to food constrained by high food prices

Normal start in bi-modal zone and a good progression of the season in Guinean-Sudanian zone

KEY MESSAGES

• February to April rainfall estimates (RFE) indicate that the onset of rains occurred earlier than normal this season with generally above normal rainfall levels in the bi-modal zone, as well as the southern part of the Guinean-Sudanian zone. According to medium term forecasts, an on time or early onset of the rains is expected for the northern part of the Guinean-Sudanian zone.

By Madeleine Logan

A programme in Ghana that mobilizes healers, healthcare workers and the community is proving a powerful ally in the fight against malnutrition.

GBULLUNG, Ghana, 1 May 2013 - When Hamdan’s face and body swelled up, his mother Ramatu did not know what was wrong with him.

In this part of northern Ghana, many parents believe that symptoms of illness in their children signify a curse from the gods or punishment from ancestors. Children are taken to traditional healers for spiritual intervention, rather than for medical care.

Global Highlights

• The global cereal price index increased by 8.8% on a year-on-year basis in the January-March 2013 quarter.This increase is driven by increases in real prices of maize and wheat (+8% and +13%, respectively).

04/28/2013 17:00 GMT

PARIS, April 28, 2013 (AFP) - Gene analysis of malaria parasites has pinpointed western Cambodia as the hotspot of strains that are dangerously resistant to artesiminin, the frontline drug against the disease, scientists said on Sunday.

An international consortium of researchers unravelled the genetic code of 825 samples of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite from Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Thailand, Vietnam and from northeastern and western Cambodia.

In collaboration with the Ghana Statistical Service, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and other partners, the World Food Programme conducted the second Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis (CFSVA) in Ghana in 2012, following the first nationwide such survey conducted in 2009.

The Higher Committee of Foreign aid at the Red Crescent Authority has allocated Dh 4.027 million to carry out developmental projects in a number of countries.

The assistance will cover health, education and social services sectors in addition to the provision of water supplies in areas which suffer from shortage of this vital service.

These projects will be carried out in a number of countries, including Palestine, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Jordan and Pakistan, Senegal, Bosnia, Uganda, Benin, Thailand, Chad, in addition to Ghana, Lebanon, Libya and Mauritania.