World Must Act Now on Lake Chad Basin Crisis: FAO DG Graziano da Silva

Lake Chad Basin: a crisis rooted in hunger, poverty and lack of rural development. Credit: FAOBy Eva DonelliROME, Apr 11 2017 (IPS)Food assistance is a priority and the only way to prevent the crisis from worsening in the Lake Chad Basin, is to support food production according to José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “We need to take action now and there is no doubt that hungry people need food, but an emergency approach doesn’t tackle the roots”, he said in a press conference following his three day visit to some of the affected areas in northeastern Nigeria, where conflict has forced an estimated 2.5 million people to leave their homes and livelihoods.Lake Chad, which is the main source of water in the region, between 1963 and 2013 lost 90 percent of its water mass, with massive impact on the population.Across the region, (encompassing parts of Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and Niger), which is currently faced with one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, some 7 million people risk severe hunger during the lean season and require immediate food and livelihood assistance.“There are fifty thousand people on the brink of famine in the region, on a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 is famine, they are already at level 4”, Graziano da Silva warned.The FAO chiefexplained that this conflict cannot be solved only with arms. This is a war against hunger and poverty and rural development must be promoted an...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Africa Aid Armed Conflicts Combating Desertification and Drought Crime & Justice Development & Aid Environment Featured Food & Agriculture Headlines Health Humanitarian Emergencies Migration & Refugees Poverty & SDGs Source Type: news