33 African countries in need of food aid due to armed conflicts and drought — FAO

A total of 45 countries and regions worldwide, including 33 in Africa, are in need of external assistance for food, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has warned.
The FAO’s latest “Crop Prospects and Food Situation” report indicates that 33 African countries are in dire need of external assistance for food due to a number of armed conflicts and extreme weather conditions across the continent. The report mentions that conflicts n West and East Africa are driving alarmingly high levels of the most severe phase of acute food insecurity, while widespread drought conditions are expected to aggravate acute food insecurity in Southern Africa. The report warns that the outlook in Southern Africa for grain production this year has sharply declined due to sustained high temperatures and low precipitation, with no significant improvement in weather conditions expected in the coming months.
Meanwhile, the FAO has warned of the deteriorating situation in Somalia that is on the brink of famine due to the unprecedented drought triggered by five consecutive poor rainy seasons and an anticipated sixth. While Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia are grappling with their worst droughts in four decades, other parts of Africa are also experiencing food insecurity due to internal conflicts, high food prices and floods. About 1.5 million people in Chad and 24.5 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are projected to experience acute food insecurity between June and August this year. The triannual ‘Crop Prospects and Food Situation’ report provides a forward-looking analysis of the food situation across the globe, focusing on the cereal production outlook, market situation and food security conditions, with a particular attention on low-income food-deficit countries (LIFDCs).