Africa Remains at Focal Point of World Hunger

ROME - May 31/04 - SNS -- The number of countries in the world facing serious food shortages slipped from 38 to 35 in February, but there was no change in Africa, where 24 countries still need food aid, argues the FAO in the May edition of Foodcrops and Shortages.

Published by the FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System, the report blames civil conflict, adverse weather, particularly drought for much of the food shortages, but adds: "In many of these countries, the HIV-AIDS pandemic is a major contributing factor."

In eastern Africa, prospects for main season crops improved because of above-average rainfall in most areas, the report says. But in western Sudan a civil conflict has displaced over one million people leading to a "grave humanitarian crisis", while in Eritrea, early rains have been poor.

Desert locusts remain a serious threat to crops in northern and western Africa, where control operations are hampered by a lack of resources, according to the report.

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