Wednesday October 14, 2009
Hunger levels "alarming" in S.Asia, Africa - report
By Roberta Rampton
DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - The world has made little progress in reducing hunger since 1990, a new report said on Wednesday, pointing to 29 countries with alarming levels of malnutrition, mainly in Africa and South Asia.
 |
A boy eats roti (Indian bread) at a slum in Mumbai February 27, 2009. The world has made little progress in reducing hunger since 1990, a new report said on Wednesday, pointing to 29 countries with alarming levels of malnutrition, mainly in Africa and South Asia. (REUTERS/Arko Datta/Files) |
Those countries also are most vulnerable to the impact of historically high food and energy prices, as well as economic recession -- factors that the International Food Policy Research Institute said are not yet captured in the data used to compile its annual hunger index.
"After decades of slow progress in combating global hunger, the number of malnourished people is now rising as a result of recent events," said the report, published by IFPRI, German aid group Welthungerhilfe and Irish aid group Concern Worldwide.
"The current situation of food crisis, financial crunch and global recession has further undermined the food security and the livelihoods of the poor," the report said.
Using data up until 2007, the index scores three leading indicators of hunger: the proportion of people who are undernourished, the prevalence of child malnutrition, and child mortality rates.
Since 1990, the global index has improved to 15.2 from 20.0. A score under 5 is viewed as low, while 20 is scored as "alarming" and over 30 is designated "extremely alarming."
Sub-Saharan Africa had a regional index of 22.1, while South Asia scored 23.0, mainly because of widespread child malnutrition, the report said.
More than 40 percent of children are underweight in Bangladesh and India, IFPRI said.
Since 1990, some countries dramatically improved their scores, the report said, including Vietnam, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Mexico.
But 13 countries have seen hunger levels rise, the report said, noting the Democratic Republic of Congo scored the worst at 39.1, followed by Burundi, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, Chad and Ethiopia, each with scores above 30.
(Graphic by Jasmin Melvin; Editing by Eric Beech)
Copyright © 2008 Reuters
News Poll
- Man posted doctored photos of Nik Aziz
- Heartbreaking wait for mum
- Sodomy II: Karpal claims judge lied (Updated)
- The world just got bigger
- Opposition leaders decry court’s ruling
- Thumbs-up for Najib
- Weather warning for Perak, Selangor and Sabah
- 5-0 for BN’s Zambry
- Saiful files report over death threat
- WWF: Orang asli being used
- 60 lose RM25mil in gold investment scam
- Canberra to set new skills list
- Sodomy II: Karpal claims judge lied (Updated)
- MAS offers CNY bargains
- Fleet card cloning ring busted with arrest of trio
- WWF: Orang asli being used
- Vietnamese plumber fined RM10,000 over RM75 bribe
- ‘Flashing candy’ a health hazard: Health Ministry
- Toyota puts the brakes on problem
- Manila joins hunt for Semporna gunmen
RSS
