Sahel food insecurity threatens 10 million people in 2013

Up to 10 million people across the Sahel region are at risk of food insecurity in 2013 and 1 million children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition, according to the United Nations. The U.N. regional humanitarian coordinator for the Sahel, David Gressly, talks to AlertNet about preventing malnutrition, building resilience and other priorities for the region this year. He says getting the money for these activities is likely to be a challenge – without a drought being the rallying point for raising funds.

Locust invasion threatens underfunded Madagascar

After years of underfunding its locust management programme, Madagascar is threatened by a major swarm that could infest most of the island country. “If nothing is done this year, there is a risk that almost the whole country, except for the extreme north and the eastern coast, will be invaded by locusts,” Alexandre Huynh, country representative for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told IRIN. Locusts breed in the southwestern regions of Madagascar during the rainy season, from October to April. According to a 2012 World Food Programme (WFP) survey, an estimated 676,000 people in the 104 southern municipalities are considered at risk of severe food insecurity.

Food and nutrition security should be the top development goal

13 February 2013, Rome - A global multi-stakeholder consultation to discuss the world development agenda beyond 2015 has called for food security and nutrition to be the central element in future development efforts. New development objectives should be established for the entire global community.

Shippers turn to Dar port as Kenya readies for elections

The WFP delegation led by Executive Director Ms Ertharin Cousin, toured the port to assess WFP's operations as well as see the central logistic hub that is vital for the UN organisation's work in Africa. She was accompanied by WFP Goodwill Ambassador, Mr Howard Buffet. (..) "I am pleased to see good infrastructure and the efficiency of operations at the Dar es Salaam Port," said Ms Cousin, whose visit to Tanzania was the first as Executive Director of WFP.