Famine and alarming hunger and severe levels of malnutrition and food insecurity are not just some doomsday prediction, they are the reality for some countries around the world.
According to a report by Oxfam, which is an international confederation of 20 NGOs working with partners in over 90 countries to end the injustices that cause poverty, about 30 million people are experiencing such in north-eastern Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen.
Also, 10 million of them are facing emergency and famine conditions. The situation in some of these countries could worsen if nothing is done to address urgent needs and resolve the root causes.
Below is a map of some of the severely affected countries:
A map of the countries affected by hunger Source: Oxfam International
Ongoing war and conflict are the primary drivers of the situation in north-eastern Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen, and for Somalia it is drought and weak governance after years of conflict.
In some parts of Ethiopia and Kenya, communities are also suffering from a catastrophic drought which makes it incredibly hard for them to buy food locally or have any source of income.
Here are some facts about the countries affected:
1. Niger
Niger’s south-western Diffa region has faced an unprecedented security and humanitarian crisis since the first wave of Boko Haram attacks in 2015. More than 300,000 people have fled their homes and are now living in makeshift shelters.
About 340,000 people are facing food insecurity and about 12,000 children will suffer from acute malnutrition.
Hunger and food insecurity are huge problems
Source: Twitter, Oxfam
2. Nigeria
In Nigeria, at least 4.7 million people in the northeast of the country are in need of urgent food assistance.
About 450,000 children will suffer acute malnutrition this year. The violence has spread from North East Nigeria into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon forcing 2.6 million people to flee their homes and leaving nearly 11 million people in need of emergency aid.
READ ALSO: UN to fund major projects in north-east Nigeria with $10.5m
3. Chad
In Chad, nearly 345,000 people are in need of aid, both refugees and people forced to flee within Chad itself. We are distributing cash and tarpaulins for shelter, and provide clean water to people to help prevent the spread of diseases. We have reached more than 50,000 people.
4. South Sudan
In February 2017, famine was declared in Leer and Mayendit, two counties of former Unity State, affecting 100,000 people, with 1 million more on the brink.
Thanks to aid efforts, it has been pushed back but the food situation across the country is getting worse. Currently, 6 million people are facing extreme hunger and are in need of urgent aid.
READ ALSO: North East states in Nigeria
5. Somalia
In Somalia, 3.2 million people face acute food insecurity at ‘crisis’ and ‘emergency’ levels.
Between November 2016 and May 2017, 738,600 people have been displaced by drought in Somalia. Of these, 46,000 were displaced in May, almost a third of whom are from Sanaag region (eastern Somaliland).
Oxfam has continually tried to give aid to the impoverished Source: Twitter, Oxfam
6. Ethiopia
13.6 million people in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya are facing dangerous food shortages. In Ethiopia alone, 7.8 million people are hungry.
A prolonged drought has caused crops to fail and livestock to die in huge numbers. The situation could get much worse between now and September and likely to continue until April 2018.
7. Kenya
In Kenya, 2.6 million people are in need of assistance. Below average rainfall has led to poor crop and livestock conditions.
8. Yemen
In Yemen, 60 percent of the population, which is about 17 million people, are suffering from food insecurity and malnutrition, including 6.8 million on the brink of famine.
The country is also at the mercy of a deadly and rapidly spreading cholera epidemic that is killing one person nearly every hour. This is one of the largest hunger emergency in the world.
Meanwhile, the new UN fund set up this year to tackle the looming famine in the North east has reached $24 million (N7.5 billion).
ZENITHBLOG.com reported that the contributions were made for a stronger and timelier response to the needs of those affected by the ongoing crisis in the region.
Development partners had raised an alarm that the victims face a high risk of food insecurity and disease outbreaks.
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This year, the UN and partners are aiming to reach 6.9 million people with life-saving aid in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, which are those most affected by the humanitarian emergency triggered by violence perpetrated by Islamist group, Boko Haram.
Watch this ZENITHBLOG.com video as Nigerians speak on their country and some alternatives:
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