850,000 go hungry in south Madagascar

ROME: Nearly 850,000 people in drought-hit southern Madagascar are experiencing “alarming” levels of hunger, and more aid is needed to prevent a dire situation from becoming a “catastrophe”, United Nations agencies said on Thursday.

This is the latest warning from the agencies which have been scaling up their response to a crisis affecting more than half the population in the south of the island nation.

Some 20 per cent of households in the affected areas are experiencing emergency levels of hunger, according to the latest food survey. “Emergency” is phase four of a five-point scale used by food agencies, where five is famine.

“What I saw in the south of Madagascar earlier this month alarmed me”, said Chris Nikoi, regional director of the World Food Programme.

“These are people living on the very brink — many have nothing but wild fruits to eat. We must act together now to save lives.”

Many households have resorted to begging, selling off their land or possessions, and eating vital seed stocks in order to survive.

Food stocks from the last harvest ran out in August and the next harvest is not due until March. Farmers also need drought-tolerant seeds and tools to prepare for the planting season in the next two months.

“The cost of inaction or further delaying our response is too ghastly to contemplate,” said David Phiri, subregional coordinator for Southern Africa at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation.

“If we do not step up our efforts now, this long hunger period will be extended by yet another year. This would be a catastrophe for a people who already appear to have virtually no food, no seeds and no discernible income,” he added.

Some 90 per cent of Madagascar’s population lives on less than US$2 (RM8.40) a day, and almost half of the children are chronically malnourished or stunted. Many children have been taken out of school to look for work, food, wood and water.

“We can and must do better for these children,” said Leila Gharagozloo-Pakkala, regional director for eastern and southern Africa at the UN children’s agency Unicef. Reuters