Food aid falls to lowest level in 20 years

Tens of millions of the world's poor will have their food rations cut or cancelled in the next few weeks because rich countries have slashed aid funding.

The result, says Josette Sheeran, head of the United Nations' World Food Programme, could be the "loss of a generation" of children to malnutrition, food riots and political destabilisation.

"We are facing a silent tsunami," said Sheeran in an exclusive interview. "A humanitarian disaster is unrolling."

The food programme feeds nearly 100 million people a year.

Food riots in more than 20 countries last year persuaded rich countries to give a record US$5 billion ($6.7 billion) to the programme to help to avert a global food crisis brought on by record oil prices and the growth of biofuel crops.

But new data show that food aid is now at its lowest in 20 years. Countries have offered only US$2.7 billion in the first 10 months of 2009.

The US, by far the world's biggest contributor to food aid, has so far pledged US$800 million less than in 2008; Saudi Arabia has paid only US$10 million in 2009 compared with US$500 million in 2008; and the European Union has given US$130 million less.

Britain's promise of US$69 million this year is nearly US$100 million less than 2008, and, if nothing more is given, will be its lowest contribution since 2001.

"Even under our best scenarios, we will end the year US$2 billion short," said Sheeran.

"Many of our funders do not feel that they need to give on the level of last year. They think the world food crisis is over, but in 80 per cent of countries food prices are actually higher than one year ago."

World food supplies are under increased strain this year after a succession of droughts, typhoons, floods and earthquakes that have destroyed crops in Africa and Southeast Asia.

But human needs are also greater because the financial crisis has led to widespread unemployment. In addition, the remittances from foreign nationals living in rich countries to their families at home are 20 per cent lower than last year.

Last month the UN said that the number of hungry people in the world had increased by more than 150 million in a single year to more than one billion.

Aid agencies last week warned of severe food shortages in southern India after heavy floods damaged hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of crops.

"There is a silent tsunami [of hunger] gathering. You cannot see or hear it, but it's in all these villages, killing people just as hard.

"This is the worst food crisis since the 1970s. We will lose a generation. Children will never recover," said Sheeran.

More than 40 million people could be affected by the programme's enforced scaling back of its food rations.

Countries most likely to be hit include Bangladesh, where the budget is likely to be cut by as much as 50 per cent, and Kenya, already suffering from drought.

TOO LITTLE MONEY

* Rich countries gave a record US$5 billion to the United Nations World Food Programme to help avert a global food crisis last year.

* Countries have offered only US$2.7 billion in the first 10 months of this year.

* Last month the UN said that the number of hungry people in the world had increased by more than 150 million in a single year to more than one billion.

* The WFP feeds nearly 100 million people a year.

- OBSERVER