Hunger in C.A.R. Has Doubled-Half the Country Affected (For the Media)

BANGUI – An Emergency Food Security Assessment by the United Nations World Food Programme and its partners reveals that half  the population of the Central African Republic – nearly 2.5 million people − faces hunger. This marks a doubling in the number of hungry people in a one-year period, as conflict and insecurity have led to limited access to and availability of food. According to the assessment, one in six women, men and children struggles with severe or extreme food insecurity – not knowing where their next meal is coming from – while more than one in three are moderately food insecure. WFP needs urgent support to continue to provide food and nutritional assistance to displaced and vulnerable communities as well as to support recovery efforts. US$41 million is needed so that WFP can respond to urgent needs through to the end of June in the C.A.R. and the neighbouring countries hosting C.A.R. refugees. To date, WFP’s operation is only 45 percent funded.