Thursday, March 15, 2012

Action Aid responds to Gambia’s appeal for food aid

Dr Manneh, Action Aid country director for The Gambia
Action Aid International-The Gambia, on Thursday, announced that it will provide 50,000 people with urgently needed food aid and drinking water, as the Gambia government seeks international support following the national crop failure coupled with corresponding soaring of food prices.

The international anti-poverty organization says it will also provide seed and other farming products to help make the next harvest productive as well as help with feeding and watering points for livestock.


However, Action Aid’s country director for The Gambia, Dr Kujejatou Manneh, said they observed that with widespread crop failure and food price hikes, the Gambia’s situation will become extremely serious unless emergency measures were put in place immediately.

She noted that the agency expects the situation to get much worse, particularly as water for both people and animals becomes even scarcer as the dry season progresses.

“The effects of the drought have been made even worse by rapidly rising food prices, which are 25% higher than last year’s,” Dr Manneh pointed out.

Adding: “Already, we are seeing economic migration from rural to urban areas as young people in particular search for paid work so they can send money to support hungry families back home.”

The Action Aid country director says in the long run the country should focus on better irrigation schemes and livelihoods diversification as this will help people become more resilient to weather related crises such as droughts.

The Gambia has declared national crop failure as post-harvest assessment of the 2011 farming season, which was characterized by below-normal and poorly distributed rainfall, indicated a reduction in total crop production of more than 70%.

As a result, the Gambia government has announced that it “urgently needed” US$23 million to provide food, seeds, and fertilizer to the entire farming population. It calls on the international community and NGOs to assist in addressing current needs and preventing “further deterioration of the situation” as the resources needed is well beyond what the national capability can guarantee.

7 comments:

  1. However, the patients may feel more comfortable telling them their feelings, because they feel as
    if they won't be judged. Some schools even require gaining experience first as a prerequisite in your application to the university. The treatments and care an RT provides to these patients would be drug and oxygen administration to the lungs which may also call for cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
    My web site ; depression in children aged 6

    ReplyDelete
  2. Its such as you learn my mind! You seem to know a lot approximately this, such as you wrote the ebook in it or something.

    I think that you could do with some percent to force the message home
    a bit, however other than that, that is great
    blog. A great read. I'll certainly be back.
    Also see my web site - manchester united transfer news 2009

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your mode of explaining all in this post is actually fastidious,
    all be able to effortlessly understand it, Thanks a lot.
    Also visit my webpage :: transfer news central live updates

    ReplyDelete
  4. Paragraph writing is also a fun, if you know afterward you can write
    if not it is complicated to write.

    Also visit my webpage - coupons
    My site - Coupons

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ahaa, its good conversation regarding this post at this place at this web site, I have read
    all that, so at this time me also commenting at this place.


    My webpage ... Payday Loans

    ReplyDelete
  6. I used to be able to find good advice from your content.


    Check out my website Rent Property

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am not sure where you're getting your information, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for great information I was looking for this info for my mission.

    Here is my blog ... her response

    ReplyDelete