Gov't in aid plea for the drought-stricken

The Burundian government has appealed for international food aid for 430,000 families facing drought in the north and west of the country, a senior government official said in the capital, Bujumbura.

The families facing serious food shortages due to the prevailing drought represent 30 percent of Burundi's seven million people, the private secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Stockbreeding, Adelin Ntungumburanye, said on Tuesday.

He added that almost half the population was facing food shortages and that some US $75 million would be needed to feed families nationwide.

"The rain deficits during the first planting season and crop diseases are mainly behind the food shortages," he said.

This, he said, had forced many people to move from one province to another in search for food. In addition, he said, children were missing classes, and "many people" were reporting to feeding centres.

He said the government seeking help form donors and the humanitarian community, including the UN World Food Programme (WFP). WFP Information Officer Isidore Nteturuye said it was difficult to help everyone in need. However, he said, WFP was doubling food quantities for distribution.

"Instead of distributing the 85,000 tonnes of food planned for the year 2006, we found out that we should distribute 72,000 tonnes for the period only extending to July this year," Nteturuye said.

"We are only going to assist [the] most vulnerable cases in order to help them survive," he said.

Some partners whom the WFP had asked for contributions had, Nteturuye said, agreed to help.

Ntungumburanye, the private secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Stockbreeding, said apart from food relief the government was introducing drought and disease-resistant seeds to replace those lost to disease.

In addition, he said, some 3,000 extension workers would be recruited over the next three years; 1,000 of whom will begin work in March in the food-insecure areas. He said the provinces targeted immediately for their services were Kirundo, Muyinga, Ruyigi, Cankuzo, Rutana and Makamba.