FAO calls for more efforts to curb famine affecting some African countries

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Friday called for increased famine response and prevention in the three African countries of Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, as well as Yemen.

FAO warned in its latest report for April that if no action is taken, millions may die of hunger in the four countries where 30 million people are suffering severe acute food insecurity.

"To avert a humanitarian catastrophe in the four countries over the coming months, we need to scale up livelihood support and income opportunities to affected families," it said.

According to UN, supporting agriculture now "is not only investing in food production today, but food security tomorrow."

Famine has already been declared in parts of South Sudan, where 100,000 people are affected, and more than 5.5 million people will not have any reliable source of food by July.

The current levels of food insecurity in the four at-risk countries reflect continued under investment in agriculture and livelihoods within the wider humanitarian and development fields. Conflict and drought are forcing people to abandon their homes and their lands.

"As agricultural seasons are repeatedly missed and livelihoods abandoned, the humanitarian caseload builds and the number of people on the brink of famine rise," said FAO.

It said governments must invest now in pulling people back from the brink with approximately 80 percent of the affected populations relying on agriculture for their livelihoods.

"Often famine starts in rural areas and must be prevented in rural areas, agriculture cannot be an afterthought," FAO said.

"In parts of South Sudan, the fishing kits are the only lifeline to food for many families, while in Yemen, dairy kits are helping to provide life-saving milk for children," it said.

In north-eastern Nigeria, agencies are collaborating to ensure people facing hunger receive both food assistance to meet their immediate needs and food production assistance to grow their own food.

Food production kits cost less than 90 U.S. dollars but can provide enough food for a family of eight for six months. Endit