ReliefWeb

Bonn, 31 July 2005. There is still an urgent need for food for underfed children in this West African region struck by famine. In one village, which Welthungerhilfe (German Agro Action) staff visited yesterday in Niger, 500 children out of 1500 were undernourished, 22 of them severely. As a result of road barricades put up by striking transport union workers, not as much food has arrived in the disaster-hit regions of Niger as planned so far. But it has been raining the last two days, making people somewhat more optimistic that the situation will improve at least a little bit, reported Gunter Schramm, staff member of German Agro Action in Niger, this morning. But the rain must continue for several more days if the bleak situation is really to improve.
In the view of German Agro Action, the international emergency funds, which have recently become a subject of discussion will not help much when it comes to avoiding food crises like this one in the future. Medium and long-term structural aid and improved crisis prevention on the part of the respective government are more important, according to the organisation.

German Agro Action has expanded its aid programme in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso by half a million Euros. On top of food aid, it is also conducting programmes especially in the areas of erosion prevention, irrigation, grain storage facilities and improved farming methods.

German Agro Action is issuing an urgent appeal for donations for the hungry people of the Sahel:

Account number 1115

Sparkasse KölnBonn

Bank code (BLZ) 380 500 00

Reference: famine Sahel