[child-rights] Child malnutrition in drought-hit Eritrea at alarming level, UNICEF warns

CHILD MALNUTRITION IN DROUGHT-HIT ERITREA AT ALARMING LEVEL ­ UN AGENCY
New York, Jun  6 2003 12:00PM

The rate of malnutrition in Eritrea, now in the fourth year of the worst 
drought in a decade, is rising to alarming levels, with more than 1 in 5 
children not getting enough to eat, the United Nations World Food Programme 
(WFP) said today.

According to the agency, 21. 7 per cent of children are suffering from 
malnutrition; normally, a hunger rate of just 13 to 14 per cent is 
considered alarming. Meanwhile, the drought shows little sign of 
improvement and the spring rains have not been sufficient, WFP spokesperson 
Christiane Berthiaume said in Geneva. If the summer rains are not enough, 
the situation this autumn will be catastrophic.

At the start of the year, WFP appealed for $100 million to help 1.4 million 
of Eritrea's 3.4 million people, but it has only received $49 million and 
has had to cut down its rations. Without new contributions, it will run out 
of stocks by the end of July, Ms. Berthiaume said.

Last month the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) began 
distributing cereal and legume seeds to Eritrean farmers to help restore 
their productive capacity.


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