MOZAMBIQUE: WFP halves rations for the hungry
By, IRIN PlusNews, November 10, 2006
MAPUTO, 10 November (PLUSNEWS) - A funding shortfall of more than 70 percent has forced the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) to halve its rations to hungry Mozambicans, ahead of the critical "lean season" between harvests, when food stocks generally run out. The cut has come at a critical time, when food is at its scarcest and most expensive.
The food aid agency urgently requires US$10 million to feed 460,000 people between now and March 2007, when the next harvest is due. WFP currently assists 292,000 vulnerable people, but a 77 percent shortfall in funding has deprived hundreds of thousands of half the ration of cereals and corn-soya blend they have been using to stave off starvation.
"We are very concerned, because we are not talking about small numbers: some 240,000 people have no food security; half of those people are living in arid areas where they cannot farm; they have nothing. And now we are about to enter into a period of emergencies, with possible cyclones and floods. We should have stockpiles of food in case of emergencies," said Paulo Zacula, Director of Mozambique's National Disaster agency (INGC).
Karin Manente, WFP Acting Country Director in Mozambique, told IRIN, "By this time, we have usually pre-positioned food stocks in areas that become inaccessible during such emergencies." She added that due to the huge shortfall, some WFP-supported activities might have to be discontinued or suspended during November unless new donations were received.
The reason for the shortfall in donor funds could be partly due to the fact that Mozambique has had a better harvest than in previous years. Preliminary results of the 2006 assessment indicate that food security and nutrition improved substantially. The country produced 2.3 million mt of cereals, including carryover stock, compared to a national requirement of 2.6 million mt.
"Although WFP scaled back its activities, we continue to focus on pockets of food insecurity. We are currently making appeals to the donor community both here and abroad," said Manente.
Teresa Antonio, 27, a resident of Beira, capital of the central province of Sofala, is among those directly affected by the cut in rations. She was close to tears as she tried to soothe the hungry baby cradled in her emaciated, rash-covered arms.
"I have no money to buy milk for my child," said Antonio, who is living with HIV and is on antiretrovirals. A representative of the local Association of People Living with HIV and AIDS, who are given WFP rations to distribute each month to members suffering food shortages, has promised to help her but warned that there are too many in her situation.
Beira has the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the country, with at least 26 percent of its adult population infected. Nationally, the prevalence rate is 16.2 percent and rising.
Christaine Rudert, Health and Nutrition officer with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), was also concerned about the impact that the cuts could have on her agency's programmes. "We could see an increase in the numbers of severely malnourished children, who will then need therapeutic feeding, which, although it is not in short supply, is much more expensive than food rations."
The disaster agency's Zacula said Mozambique had taken action to reduce its dependence on food aid. In March this year, the government approved a $40million disaster management plan covering the next 10 years, with the aim of reducing the number of people dependent on food aid by 10 percent per year. The initiatives include providing at least nine cu.m of water for drinking, and 500cu.m per family for irrigation.
ra/jk/he
[ENDS]
MAPUTO, 10 November (PLUSNEWS) - A funding shortfall of more than 70 percent has forced the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) to halve its rations to hungry Mozambicans, ahead of the critical "lean season" between harvests, when food stocks generally run out. The cut has come at a critical time, when food is at its scarcest and most expensive.
The food aid agency urgently requires US$10 million to feed 460,000 people between now and March 2007, when the next harvest is due. WFP currently assists 292,000 vulnerable people, but a 77 percent shortfall in funding has deprived hundreds of thousands of half the ration of cereals and corn-soya blend they have been using to stave off starvation.
"We are very concerned, because we are not talking about small numbers: some 240,000 people have no food security; half of those people are living in arid areas where they cannot farm; they have nothing. And now we are about to enter into a period of emergencies, with possible cyclones and floods. We should have stockpiles of food in case of emergencies," said Paulo Zacula, Director of Mozambique's National Disaster agency (INGC).
Karin Manente, WFP Acting Country Director in Mozambique, told IRIN, "By this time, we have usually pre-positioned food stocks in areas that become inaccessible during such emergencies." She added that due to the huge shortfall, some WFP-supported activities might have to be discontinued or suspended during November unless new donations were received.
The reason for the shortfall in donor funds could be partly due to the fact that Mozambique has had a better harvest than in previous years. Preliminary results of the 2006 assessment indicate that food security and nutrition improved substantially. The country produced 2.3 million mt of cereals, including carryover stock, compared to a national requirement of 2.6 million mt.
"Although WFP scaled back its activities, we continue to focus on pockets of food insecurity. We are currently making appeals to the donor community both here and abroad," said Manente.
Teresa Antonio, 27, a resident of Beira, capital of the central province of Sofala, is among those directly affected by the cut in rations. She was close to tears as she tried to soothe the hungry baby cradled in her emaciated, rash-covered arms.
"I have no money to buy milk for my child," said Antonio, who is living with HIV and is on antiretrovirals. A representative of the local Association of People Living with HIV and AIDS, who are given WFP rations to distribute each month to members suffering food shortages, has promised to help her but warned that there are too many in her situation.
Beira has the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the country, with at least 26 percent of its adult population infected. Nationally, the prevalence rate is 16.2 percent and rising.
Christaine Rudert, Health and Nutrition officer with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), was also concerned about the impact that the cuts could have on her agency's programmes. "We could see an increase in the numbers of severely malnourished children, who will then need therapeutic feeding, which, although it is not in short supply, is much more expensive than food rations."
The disaster agency's Zacula said Mozambique had taken action to reduce its dependence on food aid. In March this year, the government approved a $40million disaster management plan covering the next 10 years, with the aim of reducing the number of people dependent on food aid by 10 percent per year. The initiatives include providing at least nine cu.m of water for drinking, and 500cu.m per family for irrigation.
ra/jk/he
[ENDS]
posted by AIDS-Care-Watch at 2:25 pm
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