Guy Norget in Fianarantsoa, Madagascar
"We want to ensure that every community takes its destiny in its own hands," says Razafimbelo Fidèle, the new president of the Fianarantsoa regional committee of the Madagascar Red Cross.

"Our fight against poverty will only succeed if this challenge can be met. The Madagascar Red Cross cannot do without community development," he tells a meeting of members and volunteers on providing community development to the most vulnerable communities in this south-eastern province, which covers one-fifth of the island.

Geneva, 22 March 2002
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

Mr. Secretary-General,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to address you on the occasion of the World Meteorological Day, which this year is dedicated to a theme of special interest for all of us.

I am also honoured for the invitation I received from Professor Obasi to attend this important event. WMO plays a central role in contributing to the safety of life and property, the socio-economic development of nations and the protection of the environment

SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA) is implementing a new rice farming strategy in Madagascar.

Three tropical cyclones ravaged large parts of the island during the spring of 2000. Almost one million people were affected, in part because crops were damaged or destroyed. Forty percent of the rice crop was destroyed. Replacement seeds were in short supply and of poor quality as a result of drought prior to the cyclones.

In addition to rehabilitating roads and buildings, ADRA Madagascar developed new agricultural techniques. ADRA

Après le passage du cyclone Eline, en février 2000, la situation nutritionnelle de habitants du district de Mannahoro, sur la côte est de Madagascar, n'avait cessé de se dégrader.
En octobre 2000, MSF a ouvert en urgence 3 centres de nutrition thérapeutique, suivis d'un quatrième centre en décembre et a procédé à des distributions de rations alimentaires.

2700 enfants ont été pris en charge dans les 4 centres de nutrition thérapeutiques ouverts par Médecins Sans Frontières.

Les pathologies comme la rougeole, le

IP/01/304
Brussels, 5 March 2001

The European Commission has adopted two humanitarian aid decisions totalling €1.4 million to provide food and nutritional support to high-risk groups in Madagascar and Zimbabwe. The assistance is being channelled through its Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO). It is now a year since Cyclones Eline and Gloria brought devastation to Madagascar and the south-eastern part of Africa. The after-effects are still being felt, especially in areas where local agriculture was badly hit and the crops harvested later in the year were insufficient to cover

PR 01/10e
Rome, 1 March 2001 -- Some 60 million people in 33 countries are facing food emergencies of varying intensity, according to a .

FAO's Foodcrops and Shortages found sub-Saharan Africa worst off with 16 countries suffering from exceptional food emergencies caused mostly by natural disasters and civil strife. Despite improved weather conditions recently, the report says, the effects of the drought in Eastern Africa are still being felt in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Sudan and Tanzania, where emergency food assistance continues to be provided

La situation alimentaire des populations du centre-est et du sud de Madagascar a atteint un niveau critique.
Caritas Madagascar, partenaire local du Secours Catholique-Caritas France, demande au réseau Caritas de soutenir un programme d'aide d'urgence en faveur de 41 730 personnes, dont 24 240 enfants, pour un montant global de 3 600 000 Francs.

La zone centre-est de l'île, ravagée en mars 2000 par le passage de trois cyclones successifs, est aujourd'hui confrontée à une grave pénurie alimentaire. Du fait des inondations, les

Above-normal rains in northern and central parts in the third dekad of October provided adequate soil moisture for planting of the main 2001 paddy crop. However, the southern maize growing areas remain dry. More rains are needed in these parts to avoid reduction in the area planted.
The 2000 cereal crop season was negatively affected by three cyclones during the growing season and severe drought in southern parts. Paddy output was estimated close to 2.2 million tonnes, 15 percent less than the good crop of 1999. Maize production declined 22 percent to 140 000 tonnes.

Overview
The World Food Programme wishes to thank donors for their continued generosity. This year donors have contributed over US $ 1.3 billion, and WFP has used these resources to mobilise over 3.1 million tons of food aid distributed to needy people.