|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PRESS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-43202002-077
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2002Contact: USAID Press Office
Washington - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide an additional 160,000 metric tons of food commodities to southern Africa. The contribution of corn, vegetable oil, and beans will sustain approximately 10 million people for 1 month and is valued at $82 million.
Also in the pipeline of on-going, U.S. assistance to the region is a shipment of 36,450 metric tons of food, valued at $16 million, that is due to arrive in southern Africa at the end of the month.
The U.S. government has delivered more than 96,000 metric tons of food aid since the beginning of 2002. The U.S. government is the biggest donor to the World Food Program's operations in southern Africa. The World Food Program is currently appealing to the international community for $507 million to feed 10.2 million people until the spring harvest in March 2003.
USAID has monitored the food security situation in southern Africa since early 2001. The situation is serious and will worsen in the coming months. The United States expects to ship more food in the coming months to address the urgent and growing humanitarian needs. Given the enormity of the need, the United States is urging other donors to contribute to the regional humanitarian food requirements as well.
Estimates indicate that up to 12.8 million people in the famine-threatened countries of Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe will need emergency food assistance between now and next year's harvest.
Further Information Resources
View the Current OFDA Situation Report on the crisis.
Fact Sheet: U.S. to Release 275,000 Metric Tons of Emergency Wheat from Emerson Trust for Southern Africa Drought Relief
Background Paper: Famine
For more information on how you can help, and to learn about nonprofit organizations assisting those affected by this crisis, visit
InterAction's web site on the food crisis in Southern Africa
 |
|||
|
