Drought Threatens Djibouti Food Shortage

DJIBOUTI - Apr 29/05 - SNS -- The United Nations World Food Program warns an estimated 30,000 people in Djibouti face serious food shortages following three years of poor rains.

The agency is appealing for US$2.5 million to assist the drought victims, including almost 6,000 malnourished children under the age of five, over the next six months.

"We have already used some of the resources available in the country to address this very grave situation," said Fatma Samoura, WFP Country Director for Djibouti. "We were able to provide enough food for 29,000 people for a month, but those affected will need further assistance or they will go hungry."

The crisis is affecting three of the six rural zones in the country. Poor rains for three successive years have caused livestock deaths and a significant decline in milk production. As a primarily pastoralist population, Djiboutians rely almost entirely on their animals to feed themselves.

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