Millions will starve as rich nations cut food aid funding, warns UN

Source Guardian (UK)

Tens of millions of the world's poor will have their food rations cut or canceled in the next few weeks because rich countries have slashed aid funding. The result, says Josette Sheeran, head of the UN's World Food Program (WFP), could be the "loss of a generation" of children to malnutrition, food riots and political destabilization. "We are facing a silent tsunami," said Sheeran in an exclusive interview with the Observer. "A humanitarian disaster is unrolling." The WFP feeds nearly 100 million people a year. Food riots in more than 20 countries last year persuaded rich countries to give a record $5 billion to the WFP to help avert a global food crisis brought on by record oil prices and the growth of biofuel crops. But new data seen by the Observer show that food aid is now at its lowest in 20 years. Countries have offered only $2.7 billion in the first 10 months of 2009. The US, by far the world's biggest contributor to food aid, has so far pledged $800 million less than in 2008; Saudi Arabia has paid only $10 million in 2009 compared with $500 million in 2008; and the EU has given $130 million less. Britain's promise of $69 million this year is nearly $100 million less than 2008, and, if nothing more is given, will be its lowest contribution since 2001.