Millions in Southern Africa Face Hungry Xmas due to Poor Donor
Response
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Dear WFP and Afro-Net Colleagues
I have been forwarded the following message about hunger in
Southern Africa.
Over the years I have worked in many of these places... and it
is ridiculous that WFP is needing to look to the international
community for food funds for this area... and it is ridiculous
that these areas are needing to ask WFP for help.
I took this up with WFP staff in the 1980s and early 1990s when
it became apparent that WFP's interventions were creating a to-
tally inappropriate set of expectation, and while WFP was fill-
ing bellies, it was doing all the wrong things for people's
minds. More, WFP was distorting economics and making the posi-
tive feedback of economics work the wrong way... instead of
shortage and high prices encouraging farmers to do better, it
resulted in WFP coming in and totally wrecking the local farm
market and the economy.
I have no wish for anyone to be poor or hungry, but that is ex-
actly what WFP's long term strategy has ended up delivering...
with the able cooperation of a lot of other actors, all with the
wrong approach to development.
Has WFP done any analysis of the issue I am raising? I would
have thought that, given the number of studies done by the UN
system, that these issues might have been given some analytical
thought!
It's Christmas. I should be happy. But development has resulted
in far too much poverty and hunger....
Hopefully there will soon be some new and effective initiatives
that can change some of the mess of failed development.
Sincerely
Peter Burgess
TRACnet in New York
Tel: + 1-212-772-6918
mailto:peterb@afrifund.com
Web: http://www.afrifund.com
Database
http://www.afrifund.com/wiki/index.pcgi?page=AfrifundDatabase
Coffee: http://afrifund.coffeefair.com
Blog: http://taame.blogspot
--
In a message dated 12/23/2004 9:42:43 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Claudiamcg writes:
Subj: MILLIONS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA FACE HUNGRY XMAS DUE TO POOR
DONOR RESPONSE
BCC:Profitinafrica
MILLIONS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA FACE HUNGRY XMAS DUE TO POOR DONOR
RESPONSE - UN
New York, Dec 22 2004 10:00AM
With the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) facing a se-
vere shortfall in funds, millions of people across southern Af-
rica are again confronted by the grim prospect of not having
enough to eat during the Christmas season and beyond unless do-
nors respond immediately with generous cash contributions.
"There will be serious health and nutritional repercussions if
people have to accept a further reduction in their meagre ra-
tion," WFP Regional Director for southern Africa Mike Sackett
said. "While many of us will be sitting down with our families
and friends to celebrate Christmas, millions of men, women and
children face a very bleak time because we were unable to meet
their basic food needs."
The agency needs an immediate $63 million to meet food aid needs
for the first quarter of 2005 in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique,
Swaziland, and Zambia, the five core countries affected by emer-
gency food shortages over the last two years. Cash contributions
are essential to enable local food purchases, which also benefit
local economies. Food shipments from abroad would not arrive in
time to help the most vulnerable people through the lean season.
WFP launched a $404 million three-year appeal in October for the
five countries but so far has received only 2.5 per cent of that
amount - about $10 million - including a timely $3.1 million do-
nation from the Government of Japan.
The agency has been steadily cutting rations to more than 2.8
million people over the last six months, many of them living
with HIV/AIDS and many of them children. Most have been surviv-
ing on half a normal ration, or less. The cutbacks follow a de-
cline in contributions from donors beset by compelling demands
spawned by numerous crises.
"The traditional lean season - from January to March - will be
particularly tough as we will have to cut rations even further
unless we receive immediate cash donations," Mr. Sackett said.
"WFP will run out region in the following weeks. By the begin-
ning of March we won't have any cereals left."
He noted that Angola, Namibia and Zambia also needed added
funds. In Angola, where displaced and newly resettled refugees
have already experienced significant food reductions, WFP still
requires $50 million to meet the country's food needs up to the
end 2005. In Namibia, more than 100,000 orphans and other chil-
dren affected by HIV/AIDS face an uncertain future and the
agency needs $3.4 million to continue supporting them up to
March. And in Zambia, WFP requires $8 million to assist 86,000
Angolan and Congolese refugees.