Millions in need of food aid - WFP

Millions of Zambians are in serious need of food aid, the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) said in a press release on Friday.

"The country is reeling from two freak acts of nature. So far too much rain in some areas, and barely a drop in others," Richard Ragan WFP Country Director for Zambia said in the statement. "If relief food is not mobilised and provided in time to families in need, we will see malnutrition levels rise even higher." He added that "chronic malnutrition" was already at 60 percent up from 41 percent in 1991.

Ragan made an urgent appeal for US $18 million to feed 1.3 million people between December and March next year.

The statement said that under WFP's newly-approved emergency operation, more than 41,000 mt of maize, and nearly 1,000 mt of specially-prepared nutritious food for children would be distributed. "Distribution will take place through various non-governmental organisations and other groups within civil society," Ragan explained to IRIN.

Reduced harvests over large parts of southern Africa are likely to push maize prices in Zambia even higher, beyond the reach of many rural and urban families, and according to WFP the country's cereal prices are already far higher than normal for this time of the year. "This vicious combination of floods and drought has hit Zambia at a crucial time, when most of the southern Africa region faces much-reduced harvests and large cereal deficits," said Ragan.

"As seen during the past food crises in Zambia, in order to cope with shortages, many households reduce the number of meals eaten, or substitute maize with cheaper and less nutritious foods," WFP said. "Parents sometimes resort to pulling their children from school. Often they have no choice but to sell off belongings, thus pushing whole families further down the path to abject poverty."

During the first few months of this year, heavy rainfall fell in the northwestern and western parts of the country, ranging from between 130 and 170 percent above the 30-year average. In the worst affected areas, crops, roads, bridges and homes were destroyed, while in other regions fields were waterlogged and crops lost. Meanwhile, a dry spell in the south also resulted in heavy crop losses.