The United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) on Wednesday expressed its gratitude for a donation of almost R170-million by the South African government to the agency’s emergency food operation for southern Africa.
Speaking at a conference in Johannesburg, WFP executive director James Morris said the funds would be used by WFP to purchase 100 000 metric tons of maize in South Africa for distribution to millions of vulnerable people across the region.
Morris said the contribution was critical to ensure a steady flow of food aid supplies to more than 15 million people who were in need of assistance in six countries.
”This enormous donation comes at a crucial time for the WFP’s operations in southern Africa and will undoubtedly help millions of people cope with food shortages in the months ahead — the most acute period of hunger until the harvest arrives in April-May.
”It is also encouraging to see South Africa taking a lead role in helping to combat the severe food crisis that is wreaking havoc across the region.”
The director-general of the department of agricultural affairs, Bongiwe Njobe, confirmed the pledge made by the government.
”The government will provide a financial contribution to the WFP for the purchase of 100 000 tons of maize to be used in the southern African emergency operation.
”South Africa’s contribution will be acquired and distributed to the existing WFP pipeline.” Wednesday’s announcement follows President Thabo Mbeki’s pledge last year that South Africa would do all it could to help alleviate the current humanitarian crisis in the sub-region.
The donation makes south Africa the fifth largest contributor to the WFP’s emergency operation.
Morris, who returned to South Africa after reviewing the current humanitarian crises in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Lesotho and Zambia said: ”The international community has so far succeeded in averting a humanitarian catastrophe in southern Africa, but the monumental proportions of the HIV/Aids pandemic is unleashing a disaster which threatens the very existence of countries.
”While responding to the severe food crisis in southern Africa, an even greater disaster has been unearthed. The HIV/Aids pandemic is compounding the premature death of thousands of productive people –particularly women — across the region and is wrecking the livelihood of millions more while sowing the seeds of future famines.”
Morris said the conjunction of the pandemic, severe food shortages and chronic poverty had left more then 15 million people in need of assistance.
He said while the pandemic was changing the nature of famine in Africa, it was cutting agricultural productivity, weakening and decimating the population and undermining people’s ability to recover from natural and man-made shocks.
”Without a radical and urgent approach, which address the terrifying reality of the pandemic and how it is indelibly woven with chronic food shortages, even worse crises will stalk vulnerable people for generations to come. I am overwhelmed by the very real prospect of nations of orphans.”
He said following their mission to the countries, the envoys would pass their findings back to the UN and issue a report calling for a bold new approach from the entire international community.
Morris said in Lesotho, erratic weather had already undermined chances of an improved harvest this year, while in Swaziland and southern Mozambique a lengthy dry spell after planting had once again hit crops.
”In Malawi and Zambia, recent rains have fuelled hopes of a much better maize harvest than last year but the situation — although stabilised by international assistance — remains precarious with millions of people still vulnerable.
”The situation in Zimbabwe is cause for serious concern, with over half the population currently in need of assistance.”
He said along with continued political turbulence and economic decline, people in Zimbabwe would experience continuing food shortages in the coming year due to a combination of dry weather, lack of affordable food on the market and a dramatically reduced amount of land under cultivation.
”This current crisis is far from over but the response has already illustrated what the UN does — saving lives of thousands of people and preserving the livelihood of millions by working with governments, donors and non-governmental organisations.
”We know that the world’s attention is focused elsewhere at the moment but it is crucial that the UN and the international community continue to channel their efforts into refocusing on and responding to the crises in southern Africa and across the continent.”
The executive secretary of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), Prega Ramsamy, was among mission members visiting the four countries. Other representatives who joined the party included various organisations within the UN. – Sapa