Armed conflicts and adverse weather conditions are causing food emergencies in 23 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned on Wednesday.
According to a new report by the Rome-based agency, civil strife, drought, the internal displacement of people and economic disruption are responsible for the crises.
Among the worst affected countries is Liberia, where persistent armed clashes restrict access to most agricultural areas and cause mass population displacement. Agricultural production is being disrupted by renewed fighting in the west African country, pointing to a further drop in rice production this year.
FAO said hundreds of thousands of displaced Liberians are currently dependent on food aid.
The food situation remains critical in Ivory Coast, where farmers are unable to sell their crops because of conflict, and in Mauritania, where more than 400 000 people need food assistance.
Drought is affecting millions of people in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan while the HIV/Aids pandemic is a major compounding factor in food security problems in southern Africa, FAO said. – Sapa-DPA