Publication details the composition of 472 foods from the Western Africa region.
The composition of one's diet is fundamental to good nutrition and health. And knowing what we eat is essential to dietetics and food science, as well as for biodiversity, agriculture production, and the food industry.
Norway is providing an additional NOK 40 million to assist the victims of the drought in the Sahel. "I have seen with my own eyes how important it is that help reaches those in need," commented Minister of International Development Heikki Holmås.
This week, Mr Holmås has been visiting Niger, one of the drought affected countries in the Sahel Belt south of the Sahara.
Six Countries to Receive $177 Million to Increase Incomes, and Improve Food Security
WASHINGTON May 24, 2012 – Partners in the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), a fund that supports country-led efforts to fight hunger and poverty, today announced that six countries will receive grants totaling $177 million. The grants – to Burundi, the Gambia, Kyrgyz Republic, Malawi, Senegal, and Tanzania – will help each country increase food security, raise rural incomes, and reduce poverty.
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro’s remarks to the African Ambassadors’ Group on “Building on Africa’s Recent Progress”, in Washington, D.C., 23 May:
I am honoured to address this distinguished group. I feel very much at home. Every year on Africa Day, we recognize the people and promise of Africa.
DIOURBEL, Senegal (AlertNet) – The next three weeks will be crucial in bringing much needed relief to about 18 million people facing hunger across eight countries in West Africa, the United Nations’ humanitarian chief warned on Thursday.
A total of 45 Liberian refugees under the protection of the United Nation High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) were on Monday voluntarily repatriated to their country ahead of the expiration of their refugee status in The Gambia by June 31st 2012. Over 1000 Liberian refugees sought refuge in The Gambia during the Liberian conflict.
24 May 2012 - From 1 January to 17 April 2012 (epidemiologic week 17), outbreaks of meningococcal disease have been reported in 42 districts in 10 of the 14 countries of the African Meningitis Belt 1. These outbreaks have been detected as part of the enhanced surveillance.
Plus de 17 millions de personnes menacées de famine
24 mai 2012, Bruxelles, Nyon, Rome - En visite dans l'Ouest du Tchad, particulièrement frappée par la sécheresse, la star du football espagnol, Raúl González, a joint sa voix aux appels urgents de financement pour prévenir une crise majeure alimentaire et nutritionnelle au Sahel où plus de 17 millions de personnes sont menacées de famine et plus de 1 million d'enfants de moins de cinq ans souffrent de malnutrition aiguë.
Brussels, Nyon, Rome, 24 May 2012 - On a visit to drought-stricken Chad, Spanish football star Raúl González added his voice to urgent calls for funding to prevent a full-blown food and nutrition crisis in the Sahel region of West Africa, where over 17 million people are at risk of hunger and more than 1 million children under five face acute malnutrition.
There are many parts of the world suffering from malnutrition and hunger that adversely affect mental and physical growth of the affected individuals. Many a times, these effects are irreversible. Apart from being an unacceptable phenomenon morally, hunger also acts as an obstruction to the economic and social growth of the poorest nations. Recent food crises and economic downturns have further deteriorated the situation especially in areas like the Horn of Africa and Sahel.
Cerca de 16 millones de personas se enfrentan al riesgo de hambruna en la región africana.
Las familias se están desprendiendo de sus últimos bienes básicos como el ganado y ya no tienen excedentes de grano ni para vender ni para consumir. Urge la distribución de alimentos y de semillas e insumos que les permitan estar preparados de cara a la próxima cosecha.
On May 10, a high level meeting chaired by President Donald Kaberuka, former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and Tim Berners-Lee, founder of the Web Foundation elicited a lively debate among 10 Ministers of Education and Science and Technology from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Uganda; who met with officials of Intel, Cisco, Alcatel-Lucent, HP, Adobe, and Microsoft among other leading technology companies in Africa.
NEW YORK, États-Unis, 21 mai 2012 - Comme les agences humanitaires s'alarment d'un manque important de financement pour faire face à la crise au Sahel, l'acteur et Ambassadeur de l'UNICEF, Ewan McGregor, a joint sa voix à tous ceux qui appellent à accentuer l'aide dans cette région.
The following pages contain an analysis of each country affected by the Sahel food crisis. For each country, the context is outlined along with an overview of the current situation. Then the Red Cross Red Crescent presence and activity is provided, followed by the capacities, ongoing actions and plans of the national Red Cross or Red Crescent society.
NEW YORK, USA, 21 May 2012 – As aid agencies warn of a major funding shortage for the crisis in the Sahel, actor and UNICEF Ambassador Ewan McGregor has added his voice to those calling for more help for the region.
March 2012: Actor and UNICEF Ambassador Ewan McGregor delivers a public service announcement appealing for aid for children affected by the Sahel food crisis.
Foreign Minister Bob Carr announced today that Australia will contribute an additional $16 million in much needed food and emergency medical assistance to respond to two major escalating crises in Africa.
Senator Carr said the money will assist millions of people affected by drought, local conflict, and the collapse of local markets.
"The food crises in West Africa and South Sudan are escalating at an alarming rate," Senator Carr said.
· Humanitarian agencies continue to negotiate for full access to northern Mali to ensure aid reaches populations in need. On May 16, the Ansar Dine militant group allowed a humanitarian convoy carrying food and medical assistance to reach Tombouctou city, according to international media. In addition, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) reported that 31.5 metric tons of emergency food assistance—sufficient to benefit approximately 7,800 conflict-affected individuals—recently arrived in Gao, Kidal, and Tombouctou regions in northern Mali.
Ottawa―This week, the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, met with Ms. Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
"As humanitarian crises continue to grow in size, frequency, and complexity, OCHA's central role in coordinating effective humanitarian action becomes even more critical," said Minister Oda. "Ms. Amos recognized Canada's strong continued support to meeting humanitarian needs around the world."
SEREKUNDA/JOHANNESBURG, 17 May 2012 (IRIN) - In 2011, the rains failed in the Central River region of The Gambia, where Mawdou Danso, a farmer, struggled to raise a crop big enough to tide him over to the next harvest. He invested in an early-maturing, high-yielding rice called Nerica (New Rice for Africa), which had recently became available and promised to fit in well with the erratic rainfall patterns.
Integrated Regional Information Networks:
A selection of IRIN reports are posted on ReliefWeb. Find more IRIN news and analysis at http://www.irinnews.org
Une sélection d'articles d'IRIN sont publiés sur ReliefWeb. Trouvez d'autres articles et analyses d'IRIN sur http://www.irinnews.org
This article does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. Refer to the IRIN copyright page for conditions of use.
Cet article ne reflète pas nécessairement les vues des Nations Unies. Voir IRIN droits d'auteur pour les conditions d'utilisation.
