UN / MADAGASCAR UPDATE

The World Food Programme (WFP) said “unrelenting drought” in southern Madagascar is forcing hundreds of thousands of people to “the brink of famine,” according to a UN spokesperson. UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:17
• Production Date: 29 April 2021
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME - WFP
• Subject Topical: FOOD SECURITY; HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
• Geographic Subject: MADAGASCAR
• MAMS Id: 2616256
• Parent Id: 2616256
• Alternate Title: unifeed210429c

Description

STORY: UN / MADAGASCAR UPDATE
TRT: 1:17
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 29 APRIL 2021, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

FILE – NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, UN flag outside headquarters with cars passing in foreground

29 APRIL 2021, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, journalists in press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The World Food Programme is telling us that unrelenting drought in southern Madagascar is forcing hundreds of thousands of people to the brink of famine. At least 1.35 million people need emergency food and nutrition assistance. Acute malnutrition among children under five has almost doubled over the last four months. A recent assessment conducted by the Ministry of Health states that 16.5 percent of children in the south are suffering from malnutrition. In one district, the malnutrition rates have crossed 27 per cent. Currently, up to 80 per cent of the population in certain areas in the south is resorting to desperate survival measures such as eating locusts, raw red cactus fruits or wild leaves. The 2021 harvest prospects are poor. Food production this year is expected to be less than 40 per cent of the last five-year average. WFP has been progressively assisting up to 750,000 people through food and cash distributions each month. The agency is calling for 74 million dollars to finance operations for the next six months.”
4. Wide shot, journalist in press room
5. Wide shot, Haq on screen in press room

Storyline

The World Food Programme (WFP) said “unrelenting drought” in southern Madagascar is forcing hundreds of thousands of people to “the brink of famine,” according to a UN spokesperson.

Speaking to reporters in New York at a virtual press conference today (29 Apr), UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said at least 1.35 million people need emergency food and nutrition assistance. He added that acute malnutrition among children under five has “almost doubled over the last four months.”

Haq reported that a recent assessment conducted by the Ministry of Health states that “16.5 per cent of children in the south are suffering from malnutrition. In one district, the malnutrition rates have crossed 27 per cent.”

The UN spokesperson said, “up to 80 per cent of the population in certain areas in the south is resorting to desperate survival measures such as eating locusts, raw red cactus fruits or wild leaves.” He also noted that the 2021 harvest prospects are poor, with food production this year expected to be “less than 40 per cent of the last five-year average.” He said WFP has been progressively assisting up to 750,000 people through food and cash distributions each month. The agency is calling for 74 million USD to finance operations for the next six months, he added.