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Food situation in north “catastrophic”

Country Map - Congo IRIN
The number of IDPs in the interior of Pool region, which surrounds Brazzaville, remains unknown
Diplomatic sources have stressed that the food situation in Kirundo and Muyinga provinces is “catastrophic” and requires emergency intervention. Both provinces, traditionally the country’s breadbasket, have suffered two consecutive years of drought. Cultivation of beans, one of the main crops, is rare, especially now that many residents of Kirundo have fled the drought into neighbouring countries such as Rwanda and Tanzania. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is supplying the drought-affected areas with seeds and provisions. The sources also said the price of beer has increased by nearly 85 percent in rural areas, indicating growing insecurity on road axes. Many suppliers are refusing to transport beer upcountry due to a growing number of road ambushes and attacks.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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