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Copyright: 2004 WFP/Mike Huggins

It is the peak 'hunger season' in southern Africa and around 5 million people are facing severe food shortages following poor harvests in 2007. A combination of drought and the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS destroyed crops in Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, where economic crisis is exacerbating the situation.

Meanwhile, serious floods have already struck Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe affecting over 100,000 people and ruining tens of thousands of hectares of crops.


LATEST NEWS

WFP helps Madagascar recover after cyclone Ivan, 30 April 2008
WFP in action following Mozambique floods, 9 April 2008
WFP working with conservation farmers in Lesotho , 14 March 2008
Frequently asked questions: WFP buying locally
Ten things you never knew about WFP

IN DEPTH

Frequently asked questions: WFP buying locally
Ten things you never knew about WFP
Poor communities fight climate change in Mozambique, 15 February 2008
Buying food from developing countries: an interview with Nicole Menage, chief of WFP's food procurement service, 12 December 2007
Lesotho farmers find key to a brighter future with WFP, 10 December 2007

VIDEO

International Peace Day 2007, 21 September 2007
School feeding, 13 April 2007
Mozambique floods, 22 February 2007
James Morris' final mission to southern Africa, 18 December 2006
Want to be an aid worker?, 21 October 2006

IN BRIEF

WFP helicopter starts relief flights to flood victims in Mozambique, 22 January 2008
Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein becomes Messenger of Peace, 21 September 2007
Major US donations welcomed for hungry poor in Africa and Asia, 31 August 2007
Large new contribution to WFP reaffirms Japan's growing commitment to Africa , 1 August 2007
US government provides US$104 million to hungry poor in Africa, Asia and Latin America , 27 July 2007

PRESS RELEASES

Internet community connects with African farmers in campaign to feed the hungry , 10 December 2007
A passion for ending hunger: Howard G. Buffett becomes WFP ambassador against hunger , 29 October 2007
European Commission and WFP sound alarm over humanitarian impact of climate change, 24 October 2007
FAO insists on food as a human right: World Food Day theme seeks renewed commitment to the Right to Food , 16 October 2007
UN Secretary-General stresses role of human rights in eradicating hunger in World Food Day message, 16 October 2007
Small maize purchase for WFP - big boost for farmers in Lesotho, 24 September 2007
Malawian donation keeps WFP food aid flowing until the end of 2007 , 7 September 2007
WFP buys over 2 million tons of food on local Southern Africa markets , 28 August 2007
WFP appeals for US$118 million to massively expand aid in Zimbabwe , 1 August 2007
Lesotho faces deep food crisis after one of its worst droughts in 30 years , 13 June 2007


Crisis context

Southern Africa is in an acute phase of a long-term emergency due to a deadly combination of HIV/AIDS, food insecurity and a weakened capacity for governments to deliver basic social services: the Triple Threat.

Countries in southern Africa have nine of the 10 highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the world. Many families are forced to spend meagre resources on medicine or funerals, leaving nothing to buy seeds and fertilizers. Orphans and other vulnerable children are affected by both chronic food insecurity and the disintegration of family and community life caused by HIV/AIDS.

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