OTTAWA — The head of the World Food Program is urging countries to follow Canada in trying to avert a looming famine in East Africa, which he warns could get even worse due to sanctions against Russia.
David Beasley, the American who leads the United Nations agency, said the number of people in acute need of food has multiplied by four since 2017.
On a visit to the region last month, Beasley was taken aback to learn that food aid is now reaching farmers and ranchers, he said. Before, they occasionally got equipment to help with farming, but they hardly ever needed actual food. Beasley started his job as UN food chief in March 2017, overseeing an organization that provides everything from school meals to farming machines to the world’s poorest.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, the number of people in acute need has risen to an unprecedented 345 million. Western sanctions on Russia include some exemptions for certain types of food and fertilizer, but Beasley said global powers need to further compromise. If regions that are not facing climate woes don't receive enough fertilizer, they won't be able to ramp up their production, he said, and millions will die."We very well could go from a food-pricing problem right now to a food availability problem in 2023, and that's my grave concern.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Watson MemorabiliaOttawa Mayor Jim Watson stops by to show items he is auctioning off from his office all in support of the Ottawa Food Bank.
Read more »
Retailers call on Ottawa to implement GST rebate for touristsCould result in an additional $407 million in revenue
Read more »
Retailers call on Ottawa to implement GST rebate for touristsCould result in an additional $407 million in revenue
Read more »
Here's what Ottawa mayoral candidates said on the campaign trail todayMore transparency at city hall, making Ottawa a “music city,” and revisiting Ottawa’s environmental policy. Those were the main promises that some Ottawa mayoral candidates promised on the campaign trail on Wednesday. ottnews ottvote
Read more »
Ottawa working to regulate drug supply in ‘super significant’ move, as overdose deaths continue to climbThe number of Canadians who lost their lives to a toxic drug supply increased in the first three months of 2022, according to federal data released Wednesday.
Read more »