The UN World Food Program Responds to Food Shortages in Niger

 The United Nations World Food Program announced plans to scale up its operations inside the country of Niger, where more than one million people are in need of emergency food aid. According to humanitarian agencies, conditions in Niger are particularly bad this year, due to a poor harvest, drought, and insect attacks. The situation was worsened by the return of almost 200,000 migrant workers from Libya and Cote d’Iovire.

Gaëlle Sévenier, a spokesperson for the UN World Food Program, told reporters in Geneva that $60 million is required to fund food aid interventions for the most vulnerable over the next six months, as the country deals with an estimated deficit of 500,000 tons of cereal. Sévenier also added that the number of people in need could rise to two million, by the end of next year.

The UN Food Agency reassured the state of Niger that they would act quickly in the face of crisis. So far, the UN Food Agency has doubled the number of people it plans to feed in Niger during next month’s general food distribution.

- Madeline Lee 

SOURCE: UN News