About USAID Our Work Locations Policy Press Business Careers USAID Seal - Link to Home Page
 

USAID Response to the Food Security Crisis in Africa


U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FACT SHEET


WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-4320

2002-073

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 3, 2002

WASHINGTON - From now through 2003, up to 35 million people in Africa will need food aid. The U.S. Agency for International Development is working with its partners--the World Food Program, other donors, and the private voluntary community--to deliver up to 2.75 million metric tons of food to help meet this need. In addition, USAID is working with the governments to address longer-term structural problems through agriculture, health, education, and natural resource management programs.

Southern Africa

Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe will be in need of humanitarian food aid between now and next year's harvest. Among the principal factors are drought, floods, poor policy and economic mismanagement. A contributing factor is the debilitating rate of HIV/AIDS infection in southern Africa. The United States has delivered or pledged more than 500,000 metric tons of food aid since the beginning of 2002. At a total value of more than $266 million, the U.S. government is the largest donor to the World Food Program's operations in southern Africa.

Horn of Africa

In Ethiopia and Eritrea, millions of people are vulnerable to food shortages brought on by a severe drought. USAID had been monitoring the situation through its Famine Early Warning System, and started sending emergency food assistance in July. Since then, the United States has given $106 million in food assistance to Ethiopia and Eritrea, or over 278,000 metric tons, of food.

Sudan

With the recent cessation of hostilities, and both parties agreeing to unhindered humanitarian access, the World Food Program expects that its caseload will increase significantly. Most recently, USAID contributed 46,030 metric tons of food assistance, an estimated value of $40.1 million.

Angola

Angola requires emergency food assistance during the critical pre-harvest months of December and January. The U.S. government contributed 130,150 metric tons of emergency food commodities, valued at $98 million, to Angola in 2002. USAID has been monitoring the situation in Angola since early 2002 when areas previously inaccessible to humanitarian aid revealed pockets of severe food insecurity.

USAID's Commitment to Africa

To reinforce its development commitment, USAID is launching four new special initiatives this year in Africa: in agriculture, trade, education, and good governance. Increasing agricultural productivity in particular is key to Africa's efforts to reduce widespread poverty. Agriculture is the foundation for most African economies, supporting over 70% of the population and contributing an average of 30% of gross domestic product.


For more information about USAID's emergency food assistance programs in Africa, please visit www.usaid.gov/about/africafoodcrisis/.

The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.

Star