Possible cut in food rations

The World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Monday that food rations in some areas of Sudan may have to be cut by 50 percent due to a lack of funding. "We are looking at a serious break in food supplies in the next few weeks, at the end of August or in early September," said Ronald Sibanda, WFP Sudan Country Director. "And if that happens, we may be forced to cut the ration by 50 percent." For the second consecutive year, the harvest in Sudan has been badly affected by drought. This comes on top of the "hunger gap" period in June and July, when food stocks in Sudan traditionally run low before the harvest in September and October. An extra half a million Sudanese would require food aid in the coming weeks, said WFP, on top of 1.5 million people who are estimated to be in need of emergency food aid in southern Sudan and a further 1.7 million people in the north of the country. High malnutrition rates were also likely to persist even after the harvest, unless health and hygiene education was increased and access to safe water and health facilities provided. In April this year, WFP appealed for US $130 million to provide food to about 3.2 million people in Sudan, but only US $40 million has been received.