Wednesday, September 23, 2009

275,000 Mozambicans face food insecurity

AllAfrica.com via Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique:At least 275,000 people in southern and central Mozambique are facing food insecurity, according to Joao Ribeiro, general director of the country's relief agency, the National Disasters Management Institute (INGC).

Interviewed in Tuesday's issue of the independent daily "O Pais", Ribeiro said that these people are currently dependent on aid provided by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). He also warned of chronic water shortages in parts of Magude and Namaacha districts in Maputo province. If nothing is done before the end of this month, the 2,000 people at risk will face a trek of over 50 kilometres to fetch water.

Nonetheless, Ribeiro said the situation is better than last year, when 100,000 people were facing severe water shortages. The INGC is trying to deal with the problem by drilling new boreholes, and by installing public and household cisterns where water can be stored over dry periods. INGC teams are working on the ground, to find solutions, and Ribeiro believed that, by the end of September, reserves of water can be placed at the critical points….

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