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Thread: Famine, Malnutrition & Starvation

  1. #1
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    Exclamation Famine, Malnutrition & Starvation

    20 million people risk dying of hunger...

    Fighting famine: 'Unprecedented crisis' putting 20 million people at risk, warns UN agency
    Tuesday 15th August, 2017 -- Twenty million people risk dying of hunger in South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and the north-east of Nigeria, including 1.4 million children suffering from severe malnutrition, the United Nations food relief agency said, spotlighting today its worldwide campaign to fight famine.
    "Famine is declared when there is evidence of extreme conditions regarding food access, child malnutrition and an increase in the death rate," stated the UN World Food Programme (WFP), while launching in Spain a global Fighting Famine campaign in Spain to warn about this unprecedented food crisis. Commending "the intense response mounted by the humanitarian community," WFP said the famine declared in two counties of South Sudan in February had been overcome and, to date, Somalia, Yemen and northeast Nigeria have averted it. "Nonetheless," the agency cautioned, "the situation is still critical."

    WFP pointed out that apart from Yemen, the other three countries are entering the lean season 8211 the time of year when the previous season's harvest has run out and food stocks are at their lowest. Also, the rains are making access by land difficult, and even impossible. While air transportation may sometimes be possible, it costs up to seven times more. The severe food crisis in Yemen is caused by the consequences of armed conflict devastating the country, according to the UN agency. WFP has implemented emergency response mechanisms that include food airdrops in remote areas in South Sudan and trucking in supplies to areas where people have fled from Boko Haram in Nigeria.


    In June, agency assisted 11.8 million people in the four famine-facing countries, underscoring that "almost half of them are in Yemen, where lack of funding has meant that WFP has been forced to make the difficult decision to reduce the amount of food each person in order to stretch resources further." To shine a spotlight on the unprecedented food crisis, WFP is taking part in a worldwide FightingFamine campaign. The UN agency noted that in Spain, Mastercard and MediaCom have donated resources and advertising space so that the initiative is channeled through press, online media, digital screens and street furniture.

    WFP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions, and with this campaign, it urges "the private sector and individuals to take action to help prevent a looming humanitarian disaster." As WFP depends on the generosity of donor governments, supporters and partners to quickly deliver food to affected people in these four countries, it urgently needs $900 million to meet immediate needs and avoid the spread of famine for the period of August to January 2018.

    http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/2...arns-un-agency
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    Amid soaring food insecurity in DR Congo, UN agencies call for food aid, supplies
    Tuesday 15th August, 2017 -- More than one in ten people living in rural areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are hungry due to escalating and prolonged conflict and displacement, United Nations agencies today reported, warning that the situation will worsen unless urgent support comes in time.
    "7.7 million people face acute hunger8211 a 30 percent increase over the last year," said the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said. In a new report, the UN agencies said that between June last year and June this year, the number of people in "emergency" and "crisis" levels of food insecurity 8211 levels that precede "famine" 8211 rose by 1.8 million, from 5.9 million to 7.7 million. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis released today also notes that the humanitarian situation has worsened due to the spread of fall armyworm infestations, and cholera and measles outbreaks.

    In conflict-ridden areas, over 1.5 million people are facing "emergency" levels of food insecurity according to the IPC report, which means people are forced to sell everything they have and skip or reduce their meals. "In conflict-ridden areas, farmers have seen their villages and fields pillaged. They have not been able to plant for the last two seasons. There is a lack of local markets providing for their food needs," said Alexis Bonte, FAO Representative ad interim in DRC. "The situation is set to get worse if urgent support does not come in time."


    Farmers, especially those displaced 8211 the majority of whom are women and children 8211 are in urgent food aid, as well as in need of tools and seeds so that they can resume farming, the UN agencies said. In several areas, people only eat once a day. The meal is often based on corn, cassava or potatoes, which does not meet their daily nutritional and calorie needs. "In some cases, diets are limited to starches and leaves," FAO and WFP said.

    Chronic malnutrition affects 43 per cent of children under five 8211 more than 7 million 8211 in DRC, according to the report. The situation is particularly difficult in the Kasai region, where growing insecurity has worsened the poverty and food insecurity. "FAO and WFP call for an urgent increase in the provision of lifesaving food and specialized nutrition assistance to combat malnutrition as well as seeds and tools so that farmers can plant again and regain their livelihoods," the UN agencies said.

    http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/2...d-aid-supplies
    Last edited by waltky; 08-14-2017 at 05:17 PM.

  2. #2
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    This is a humanitarian disaster no one should mind contributing too. The world should not stand by and watch people die of hunger, that is so ridiculous in this day and age.

    I do have to wonder how much money is stolen by the handlers, its a sad reality in all situations where someone has control of alot of money.
    LETS GO BRANDON
    F Joe Biden

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    Red face

    Like dat worm dat ate the rubber tree plant...

    Simple Concoction Found to Halt Fall Armyworm
    August 17, 2017 — A farmers' group in South Sudan's Imotong state says it has found a way to combat the dreaded fall armyworm, which has devastated crops across the state.
    Robert Lokang, leader of the Bidaya Farm association, says he regularly sprays his crops with a concoction of tree leaves, ash, powdered soap and water. The all-natural formula is designed to kill the armyworms while not harming the plants. It's not a new invention - Lokang says he learned it decades ago as a child, when his father used the same concoction to ward off pests. He says about a year ago, the NGO Care International showed local farmers how to use the mixture as a replacement for pesticides. He says his group decided to try it on the fall armyworm and it worked.

    Fall armyworms, which are native to the Americas, have spread across Africa since 2015, raising alarm among farmers and agriculture officials. The pests thrive in warm and humid climates, travel great distances quickly, and devour maize, cotton, sorghum, and vegetable crops. They were first detected in South Sudan in June, although they could have arrived earlier. Lokang says he suffered severe financial losses last season after fall armyworms tore into his eggplants, tomatoes, onions and cabbages. “They are eating the leaves and other insects. They also destroy the roots and the ones we transplant when the fruit is ready, they also get rotten,” Lokang told VOA's South Sudan in Focus.


    A farmer inspects a plant to reveal an armyworm he found feeding on his maize crop at a farm on the outskirts of Harare, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017. A farmers' group in South Sudan's Imotong state says it has found a way to combat the dreaded fall armyworm, which has devastated crops across the state


    Lokang's concoction is fairly simple to make. “We collect the neem leaves, almost one bucket, then we soften or grind [them] using stone, then we get ashes and some Omo [powdered soap] and mix it in a basin of water, and keep it for two to three days before spraying,” he said. Imatong farmer Mary Peter said mixing the concoction and spraying it manually is tedious, but effective. “This is the fourth planting that I am seeing some changes after we have used neem and red pepper. After [the spraying] they have grown bigger," she said. United Nations and government officials say regular insecticides do not work on the fall armyworm.

    Awello Obale, an official at the state agriculture ministry, said Lokang’s method is cost-effective since there is no other immediate solution to the fall armyworm infestation. “We encourage farmers... to use the cultural practices to control not only armyworm but other insects also,” Obale said. Fortunately, neem trees are plentiful in the area. Obale says farmers should take advantage of Lokang’s simple method. U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization officials say they will introduce new crop varieties in Imotong State thought to be resistant to armyworms and other pests. The new crop varieties include maize, rice, cow peas, groundnuts and beans.

    https://www.voanews.com/a/simple-con...m/3989750.html

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    Man oh man I hope C130s are dropping milk and grain. The culprits are the governments hoping to kill off entire opposition populations. I would rather fight this kind of thing than boogieman tribes. We can fix this right away.
    " I'm old-fashioned. I like two sexes! And another thing, all of a sudden I don't like being married to what is known as a 'new woman'. I want a wife, not a competitor. Competitor! Competitor!" - Spencer Tracy in 'Adam's Rib' (1949)

    Art thou every retard among us related to thine uncle or mistress by way of moral or illegitimate rendezvous? Thus, we are one side of the other's coin by luck or pluck. - Jimmyz

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    Unhappy

    Famine averted but millions still at risk of malnutrition & hunger...

    Nigeria: Famine averted but millions still at risk, stresses top UN relief official
    Thursday 14th September, 2017 -- Noting important progress in delivering life-saving aid to millions in north-east Nigeria, the top United Nations humanitarian official underscored that international assistance to people suffering amid the crisis must not dwindle.
    "We have averted famine, but millions of people are still at risk if more international help is not forthcoming," said Mark Low$#@!, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, at the end of a two-day mission to the country. "At next week's General Assembly in New York, I will urge world leaders to maintain their financial and political support for the Lake Chad Basin crisis, and to work with the Nigerian authorities to bring stability to the north-east," he added. In particular, Mr. Low$#@!, also the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, noted the Nigerian Government's leadership and coordination of relief efforts and welcomed the Vice President's assurance to extend the Government's own food aid programme.




    He also highlighted that the international system has also rapidly scaled up and saved millions of lives, reaching two million people with food assistance every month as well as providing life-saving nutritional support to hundreds of thousands of children. However, the humanitarian situation remains precarious. Since the beginning of the Boko Haram conflict, more than 20,000 people have been killed, thousands of women and children abducted, many forced into displacement, and subjected to violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. In north-east Nigeria, at least 8.5 million people are dependent on humanitarian assistance.


    Recalling his visit to Gwoza 8211 a town which the Boko Haram declared capital of its territory in 2015 before Government forces took it back the same year 8211 and meeting Fatima, a nine-year-old girl who fled with her family to the town four years ago, Mr. Low$#@! said that though many towns in the region are relatively safe, more needed to be done to bring safety to the rural areas. "In the meantime, Fatima and millions of others like her will rely on humanitarian assistance," he noted.


    Mr. Low$#@! travelled to Niger and Nigeria from 9-12 September, shortly after beginning his roles as the top UN relief official on 1 September. While in the two countries, he also held meetings senior government officials, UN humanitarian agencies, international non-governmental organizations and the diplomatic community.


    http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/2...elief-official

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    Cool

    China Invents Rice That Can Feed Over 200 Million People...

    China Invents Rice That Can Grow in Salt Water, Can Feed Over 200 Million People
    October 23, 2017 - Scientists in China succeeded in growing the yield of a strain of saltwater-tolerant rice nearly three times their expectation.
    In the spring months, over 200 types of rice were planted at the Saline-Alkali Tolerant Rice Research and Development Center in Qingdao, a coastal city in eastern China’s Shandong Province. Seawater from the Yellow Sea was pumped, diluted and channeled into the rice paddies. Researchers initially expected an output of around 4.5 tons per hectare, but surprised themselves when four types registered 6.5 to 9.3 tons per hectare.


    Tests on saline-alkali tolerant rice have been going on in China for some time, but the unexpected yield marks its readiness for commercialization. Research leader Yuan Longping, also known as China’s “Father of Hybrid Rice,” told reporters that cultivation of the strain can feed more than 200 million people, the South China Morning Post noted.


    Qingdao-based startup Yuan Ce Biological Technology, which partnered with Yuan’s team, is now selling the new rice as “Yuan Mi” in honor of the scientist. “Yuan Mi,” however, costs 50 yuan ($7.50) per kilogram — about eight times more than the cost of ordinary rice. It is currently sold in 1-kilogram (2.2 pounds), 2-kilogram (4.4 pounds), 5-kilogram (11 pounds) and 10-kilogram (22 pounds) packs. Despite the hefty price tag, six tons of the strain have been sold since August, thanks to its impressive flavor and texture. In addition, consumers are reportedly keen on its potential health benefits.


    According to Xinhua, the strain could be rich in calcium and other micronutrients, as such are abundant in saline water. The property of salt as a disinfectant could also repel pathogenic bacteria, making “sea rice” less exposed to pests. As a result, farmers may decrease their use of pesticides. Yuan Ce Biological Technology expects to make 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) in “sea rice” revenue by the end of the year. Prices are expected to fall as production increases.

    https://nextshark.com/china-invents-...illion-people/

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    Cool

    The right to food is a human right...

    Famine can be a war crime and should be prosecuted, says independent UN rights expert
    Tuesday 24th October, 2017 -- Famine can constitute a war crime or crime against humanity, an independent United Nations human rights expert today said, noting that more civilians die from hunger and disease related to conflicts than in direct combat.
    "If the famine comes from deliberate action of the State or other players using food as a weapon of war, it is an international crime," the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Hilal Elver, told journalists in New York. The expert spoke to the media after presenting her report to the General Assembly committee dealing with social, humanitarian and cultural issues, also known as the Third Committee, where she said an estimated 70 million people in 45 countries need emergency food aid. Those countries include Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, where around 20 million people are hungry or face starvation as a result of man-made conflict. States and other parties involved in conflicts, Ms. Elver said in a press release, need to recognize their own duty to act, and above all, avoid using hunger as a weapon of war.


    The right to food is an unconditional human right and legal entitlement for all people, not a discretionary option, she added. "It is crucial that the international community understands that it is an international crime to intentionally block access to food, food aid, and to destroy production of food." She noted that the most serious cases of man-made famine could be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC), but said in the press conference that this has never been done. The independent expert urged governments to focus on peace processes and long-term policies that break the cycle of recurring famines.

    UN Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work. UN Special Rapporteurs are in New York this week to present their reports to the General Assembly. Check back to www.un.org/News for highlights throughout the week.

    http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/2...-rights-expert

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    Awful.

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    A human right? Who is to provide that right? Can the government merely decree all food shall be distributed evenly. Who pays for the seeds, who pays for the land, who pays for the equipment to plant and harvest the food?

    A human right???? really???????

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    Unhappy

    UN, Aid Groups Warn of 'Starvation and Death' in Yemen...

    UN, Aid Groups Warn of 'Starvation and Death' in Yemen
    9 Nov.`17 - The United Nations and more than 20 aid groups said Thursday that the Saudi-led coalition's tightening of a blockade on war-torn Yemen could bring millions of people closer to 'starvation and death.'
    The U.N.'s humanitarian chief warned a day earlier that unless the coalition lifts its blockade, Yemen will face 'the largest famine the world has seen for many decades, with millions of victims.' The coalition closed all ports and halted aid shipments after Yemen's Houthi rebels fired a ballistic missile over the weekend that was intercepted near Riyadh. Saudi Arabia blamed the strike on Iran, which supports the Houthis but has denied arming them. The U.S. has also accused Iran of supplying ballistic missiles to the Houthis, charges denied by the rebels, who insist they produced the missile used Saturday on their own. The coalition, which is allied with Yemen's internationally recognized government, has been at war with the rebels since March 2015. The Houthis control most of northern Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.

    About two-thirds of Yemen's population relies on imported supplies, said the aid groups, which include CARE, Save the Children and Islamic Relief. Over 20 million people need humanitarian assistance, including 7 million facing 'famine-like' conditions, they said. Food supplies are expected to run out within six weeks while vaccines will last only a month
    They urged an 'immediate opening' of all air and seaports. 'If I have to compare Yemen to a person, I would say that this person is very sick, this person is very weakened, and is being drip-fed, so if you want to keep the patient alive, we need to reactivate drip-feeding as soon as possible,' Robert Mardini, the Middle East director for the International Committee of the Red Cross, told The Associated Press.


    Women wait to fill up cooking gas cylinders outside a gas station amid supply shortage in Sanaa, Yemen, Nov. 7, 2017.

    At the United Nations, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Thursday marks the fifth day since the Saudi-led coalition imposed a complete blockade on Yemen. He said that since Sunday, the 'coalition has not facilitated any humanitarian movements into or out of Yemen carrying relief items and aid workers.' 'Our humanitarian colleagues say that they have heard of health facilities shutting down because they cannot cover the increased fuel costs, and water pumping station have also been affected,' Dujarric said. The blockade has already led to a fuel crisis in the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, where hundreds of cars lined the roads Wednesday after the Houthis ordered the closure of fuel stations. The rebels said they closed the stations after merchants refused to fix prices. The price of fuel has risen by 50 percent since the coalition tightened the blockade.

    Yemeni officials also said those who need to be hospitalized abroad cannot leave the country. They said the Houthis in Sanaa and coalition-backed forces in the southern city of Aden are only interested in treating their own wounded. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the situation with reporters. U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Low$#@! told reporters after briefing the U.N. Security Council behind closed doors Wednesday that there must be an immediate resumption of regular flights to the cities of Aden and Sanaa by the U.N. and its humanitarian partners. 'What we need to see is a reduction of blockages on all sides, not an increase,' he said.

    Low$#@! also said U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Wednesday morning and 'called for an immediate resumption of normal humanitarian access.' Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif meanwhile said he had proposed a four-point peace plan in 2015 that was still valid. 'In 2015, soon after Saudi coalition initiated war on Yemen, I wrote to the (U.N. secretary general) offering a 4-point peace plan: ceasefire; humanitarian assistance; Intra-Yemeni dialogue; and inclusive government,' he tweeted. 'Over 2.5 years and many lives later, that plan is still valid today.'

    http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/2...death-in-yemen

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