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Madagascar: 1.5m face hunger because of drought, UN says | Madagascar: 1.5m face hunger because of drought, UN says |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Some 1.5 million people in southern Madagascar are facing hunger because of a severe drought, the UN says. | Some 1.5 million people in southern Madagascar are facing hunger because of a severe drought, the UN says. |
Production of staple foods has declined sharply, resulting in higher food prices. Residents are said to be eating seeds and selling animals to cope. | Production of staple foods has declined sharply, resulting in higher food prices. Residents are said to be eating seeds and selling animals to cope. |
More than half of those affected are acutely food insecure, the UN adds, meaning that they need urgent humanitarian assistance. | More than half of those affected are acutely food insecure, the UN adds, meaning that they need urgent humanitarian assistance. |
The situation has been made worse by the El Nino weather phenomenon. | The situation has been made worse by the El Nino weather phenomenon. |
The lack of sufficient rains in the southern region of Androy alone resulted in an 80% decline in maize production this year compared with the already reduced levels of 2015, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said in a report. | The lack of sufficient rains in the southern region of Androy alone resulted in an 80% decline in maize production this year compared with the already reduced levels of 2015, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said in a report. |
The drought also affected the production of another staple food, cassava, in Androy and also in Atsimo-Andrefana, where production dropped by approximately half, the agency added. | The drought also affected the production of another staple food, cassava, in Androy and also in Atsimo-Andrefana, where production dropped by approximately half, the agency added. |
The situation was also critical in Anosy region. | |
"Households are reducing consumption of locally produced crops," the report said. | "Households are reducing consumption of locally produced crops," the report said. |
"[People are] adopting survival strategies such as consuming seeds, selling their animals and agricultural tools and increasing their consumption of nutritionally inadequate wild foods, such as red cactus fruits." | "[People are] adopting survival strategies such as consuming seeds, selling their animals and agricultural tools and increasing their consumption of nutritionally inadequate wild foods, such as red cactus fruits." |
Across the country, rice production was also affected, the agency said, with declines of up to 60% in some regions. | Across the country, rice production was also affected, the agency said, with declines of up to 60% in some regions. |
Working with the World Food Programme, the FAO said it would help residents and small farms in the worst-affected districts with food, seeds and farm tools, so they could take advantage of the planting season, which starts in November. | Working with the World Food Programme, the FAO said it would help residents and small farms in the worst-affected districts with food, seeds and farm tools, so they could take advantage of the planting season, which starts in November. |
Other African nations have also suffered from severe droughts recently, made worse by the El Nino phenomenon. | Other African nations have also suffered from severe droughts recently, made worse by the El Nino phenomenon. |
El Nino is a naturally occurring weather episode that sees the warm waters of the central Pacific expand eastwards towards North and South America, causing unusually high temperatures. | El Nino is a naturally occurring weather episode that sees the warm waters of the central Pacific expand eastwards towards North and South America, causing unusually high temperatures. |
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