Moz: 85 000 face food shortages
2007-08-29 09:08
Beira - More than 85 000 people in the central Mozambican province of Sofala were facing food shortages because of floods and drought, which hit that part of the country earlier this year.
The national secretariat on food security and nutrition told the daily Noticias on Wednesday that the number could increase to more than 100 000 by the end of October.
To mitigate the impact, the government was working with its international and local partners to distribute food parcels to 50 000 people who were most vulnerable.
Luis Pacheco, the head of the national disaster management institute said that the most vulnerable who were receiving emergency food parcels included orphans, chronically ill people, and women heading families.
The most affected people were living in the districts of Marching and Buzi, which bore the brunt of cyclone Favio in February.
Residents of Marromeu, Caia and Chemba who were affected by flash floods, which hit the area in January are also in need of emergency food aid, said the paper.
- SAPA