Can Africa Counter Famine Grip as Food Crisis Grows?

U.S. Aid Chief Samantha Power is urging nations to do more to avert a food crisis in East Africa and singled out China for not doing enough. In remarks at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies, Power said that China "in particular stands out for its absence" in humanitarian efforts in East Africa.

Power said that if China exported more food and fertiliser to the global market, or to the World Food Programme, it would "significantly relieve pressure on food and fertiliser prices and powerfully demonstrate the country's desire to be a global leader and a friend to the world's least developed economies."

China in response removed all tariffs on 98% of the goods imported from nine of Africa's least-developed countries. Experts however do not expect the measure to have an impact on African economies. But could instead benefit China's image.

In Burkina Faso where nearly one in 10 people have been displaced by conflict, 28 international aid organisations operating in the country have warned that the rate of severe food insecurity has nearly doubled compared to last year, with over 600,000 people in emergency hunger levels. They say an urgent increase in funding for humanitarian assistance is required to respond to the current situation.

In its latest Food Price Index however, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says world food prices have fallen for a fifth consecutive month but are still nearly eight percent higher than a year ago it says the prices of five commodities - cereals, vegetable oil, dairy, meat and sugar - were lower in August than in July.

Gambia on its part says the food and nutrition insecurity in the country is as a result of the recent flash floods compounds the existing challenges caused by the Russia-Ukraine Crisis, poor harvest, the 2021 devastating windstorms, Covid-19, high food prices and the increase in fuel and transportation costs.