WIDESPREAD FOOD SHORTAGES LOOM IN DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA SAYS REPORT BY UN FOOD AGENCIES
Press Release
FAO/3629
WFP/1024
WIDESPREAD FOOD SHORTAGES LOOM IN DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA SAYS REPORT BY UN FOOD AGENCIES
19951228 ROME, 28 December (WFP) -- Unless substantial food aid is provided to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, severe food shortages and possible starvation would affect millions of people in the coming months, warned a joint report released today by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP).Recent flooding caused extensive damage to agriculture and infrastructure, worsening an already deteriorating food supply situation in the country. Rice and maize production have fallen sharply, and food rations have been drastically cut.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea faces a grave food supply problem, said the report, after an FAO/WFP crop and food supply assessment mission visited that country from 9 to 16 December, to assess the overall food situation.
Most at risk are about 2.1 million children and about half a million pregnant and nursing women. Many victims of last summer's devastating floods are already weakened and severely malnourished, and must now confront the onset of the country's bitterly cold winter without enough food.
Emergency food assistance is also needed for farmers because they lost grain stocks and have no access to the public food distribution system.
The country's total grain requirement for 1996 is estimated at about 6 million tons. However, domestic production, imports and food aid already received would only cover 4.8 million tons, leaving an overall shortfall of some 1.2 million tons. Stagnating agriculture has been exacerbated by the declining economic situation in the country.
The Rome-based United Nations food agencies have appealed for more funding for humanitarian relief operations in the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea, which issued an unprecedented appeal to the world for help in aiding victims of its worst flooding on record. So far, there has been very limited response to providing food aid, said the report.
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