Food aid slashed in Tanzania
2004-10-26 10:23
Dar Es Salaam - The World Food Programme (WFP) this week cut by 24% food rations for 400 000 Burundian and Congolese refugees in Tanzania due to severe shortage of funds, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The refugees' share of maize has been cut from 2.5kg to 1.9kg per person per week," WFP Country Director, Patrick Buckley said in the statement.
The agency, which cut the rations on Monday, also appealed for $14m to prevent further ration cuts and continue feeding the 400 000 refugees living in 13 camps in western Tanzania.
Buckley said the appeal would enable the agency to purchase 39 000t of food to bridge the deficit in the first half of 2005.
"Donors have to act fast, otherwise food stocks will dry up completely by February," he warned.