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Nearly 20 million facing severe food shortages

Nearly 20 million people are facing “severe” food shortages in East Africa, a report released by the FAO on Wednesday said. The number has gone up by three million since April. In its August issue of the Food Supply Situation and Crop prospects in Sub-Saharan Africa, the FAO says that the continuing drought has undermined food production in vast areas of eastern Africa. It also blames war and civil strife for severely limiting farming activities in many areas. The report warns that large numbers of people will need massive and continued emergency assistance well into next year.

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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