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Millions of Afghans face
hunger: Oxfam
KABUL (PAN): A UK-based organisation has called for international donors
to step up food and water deliveries to vulnerable Afghans in several
provinces of the country before the onset of harsh winter.
Oxfam said about three million people were going hungry because of a
drought that had gripped northern and western parts of the impoverished
country since last 2010.
The British aid agency said in a statement on Tuesday: "Governments need
to wake up to the gravity of this crisis and ensure they are ready to
respond before the situation gets worse."
Asuntha Charles, the Oxfam director in Afghanistan, warned three quarters
of people living in the affected areas would run out of food in less than two
months.
"The drought has completely destroyed the wheat crop in some areas.
People are reducing the amount of food they are eating and selling what
little they have," Charles said.
Pastures in the regions have been destroyed due to the drought, and
overall 80 percent of non-irrigated wheat crops in those places have been
lost. Delays would make things harder for families already struggling to
cope, the group said.
"There have been reports of people trekking nine hours to get clean water
and going into debt to ensure their children have food. Donor and aid
agencies need to heed these warning signs and ensure that people have
the support that they need," Charles concluded.
http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/09/21...e-hunger-oxfam
hunger: Oxfam
KABUL (PAN): A UK-based organisation has called for international donors
to step up food and water deliveries to vulnerable Afghans in several
provinces of the country before the onset of harsh winter.
Oxfam said about three million people were going hungry because of a
drought that had gripped northern and western parts of the impoverished
country since last 2010.
The British aid agency said in a statement on Tuesday: "Governments need
to wake up to the gravity of this crisis and ensure they are ready to
respond before the situation gets worse."
Asuntha Charles, the Oxfam director in Afghanistan, warned three quarters
of people living in the affected areas would run out of food in less than two
months.
"The drought has completely destroyed the wheat crop in some areas.
People are reducing the amount of food they are eating and selling what
little they have," Charles said.
Pastures in the regions have been destroyed due to the drought, and
overall 80 percent of non-irrigated wheat crops in those places have been
lost. Delays would make things harder for families already struggling to
cope, the group said.
"There have been reports of people trekking nine hours to get clean water
and going into debt to ensure their children have food. Donor and aid
agencies need to heed these warning signs and ensure that people have
the support that they need," Charles concluded.
http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/09/21...e-hunger-oxfam
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