Zambia: Floods and Drought - Mar 2001

By Shapi Shacinda

LUSAKA, June 11 (Reuters) - Victims of the HIV/AIDS pandemic are among 2.5 million Zambians targeted for food relief starting next month, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday.

WFP country representative for Zambia Richard Ragan told Reuters by telephone from Johannesburg that 200,000 tonnes of food would be distributed between July 1 and end-March 2003.

The WFP and other aid organisations met donors in Johannesburg last week to tackle the worst food shortage for a decade in six southern African nations.

The WFP estimates some 13 …

By Alfred Chirwa, World Vision Zambia communications

Lusaka (dpa) - Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has declared a national food disaster, saying around four million people in this southern African country faced severe hunger and famine.

Speaking on state television late Wednesday, Mwanawasa said the country's food stocks would run out in 90 days' time because reserves had been completely depleted.

''Stocks are expected to be depleted in July or August and the current food stocks can only cater for six million people,'' said Mwanawasa.

"A short-term relief effort is required to avert widespread hunger."

By Allan Seccombe

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A massive food relief mission is gathering steam to combat southern Africa's worst food shortage in a decade as millions go hungry and famine looms after crop failures, the United Nations food aid arm said.

The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) is assessing aid for six southern African states, three of which are in urgent need of food.

JOHANNESBURG, 20 May (IRIN) - All of Zimbabwe's rain-fed crops have failed and the country only has a quarter of the food it will need for the next 12 months.

Rome - The Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme James T.Morris said on Monday that severe funding shortages are threatening two of the Agency's largest emergency operations, in Afghanistan and North Korea.

by Robert Michel - Communications Director Southern Africa

SUMMARY

Map was retrieved from FEWS Net.

This report includes:

Vatican City - Caritas Internationalis has launched a one million USD appeal to help member organisation Caritas Zambia (Catholic Commission for Development) assist people in drought and hunger-afflicted dioceses throughout the country.

NAIROBI, 16 May 2002 - The United Nations Children's Fund has warned that the unfolding food crisis in southern Africa threatens to become a major humanitarian catastrophe if an immediate and adequate response is not mounted.

JOHANNESBURG, 15 May (IRIN) - Extreme food shortages and HIV/AIDS are forcing the elderly in Southern Africa to become breadwinners all over again, HelpAge said on Wednesday.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Economic and Social Council
Substantive session of 2002
New York, 1 - 25 July 2002
Item 5 of the provisional agenda
Special economic, humanitarian and disaster relief assistance

General Assembly
Fifty-seventh SessionItem 21 (a) of the preliminary list
Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance: strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations

Contents Paragraphs

By Allan Seccombe

JOHANNESBURG, May 14 (Reuters) - A massive food relief mission is gathering steam to combat southern Africa's worst food shortage in a decade as millions go hungry and famine looms after crop failures, the United Nations food aid arm said.

The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) is assessing aid for six southern African states, three of which are in urgent need of food.

Save the Children UK has begun giving food to hundreds of thousands of people in need in famine-stricken Malawi. This is the second phase of the largest such food distribution programme by any aid agency during the current crisis.

This report includes:
(A) Asia Region: (1) DPR of Korea, (2) Indonesia

(B) West and Central Asia Region: (1) Afghanistan, (2) Pakistan, (3) Iran

(C) Central Africa Region: (1) Angola, (2) Namibia, (3) Democratic Republic of Congo, (4) Central African Republic

(D) East and Southern Africa Region: (1) Overview for Southern Africa Region, (2) Malawi, (3) Zambia, (4) Zimbabwe, (5) Djibouti, (6) Burundi, (7) Tanzania, (8) Eritrea, (9) Ethiopia

(E) Latin America and Caribbean Region: (1) Colombia, (2) Ecuador, (3) El Salvador

Credit: USAID/Famine Early Warning System
Caption: Map of Southern Africa with areas of Maize production and drought-affected areas of Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, and Swaziland highlighted.
This image is not subject to copyright restrictions. If used for publication or broadcast, please credit the U.S. Agency for International Development.