The World Food Program (WFP) is committed to the fight against hunger on the Big Island.
In this country located off the south-eastern coast of Africa, more than 800 tonnes of food has been distributed thanks to financial support from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
This support comes at a critical time for this region of southern Madagascar, hit by the worst drought in 40 years. Over 1.44 million people are acutely food insecure and go without food. This figure is double that of the same time last year and the crisis continues to worsen.
“We are grateful to the African Development Bank for its generosity. This support confirms its commitment to ensuring food and nutritional security for the Malagasy people which is vital for the development of the country,” said Moumini Ouedraogo, WFP’s Representative in Madagascar.
Since November 2020, the number of people affected by hunger has increased by nearly 95,000 people, according to data from the Integrated Food Security Classification Framework, a multi-partner food security and nutrition watch initiative.
This African Development Bank’s contribution will enable WFP to provide some 72,000 people with life-saving food assistance for three months (May through July) in southern Madagascar. The aid includes 510 tonnes of rice, 195 tonnes of legumes, 78 tonnes of vegetable oil, 34 tonnes of super grains and 14.24 tonnes of nutritional supplements.
Support from the AfDB is in addition to that of other partners. The World Food Program began providing integrated assistance in October 2020, combining general food distribution with prevention and treatment of moderate to acute malnutrition in the nine most drought-affected districts in southern Madagascar.
TE/fss/abj/APA