Aid group heightens warnings of new Africa famine
An international aid group warned Friday of a growing famine risk in West Africa, amid reports of villagers raiding ant hills to take food from the insects.
Adding to an alert already sounded by the United Nations in recent days, the Oxfam group said: “A lethal mix of drought, high food prices, entrenched poverty and regional conflict is behind the crisis” hitting Chad, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and northern Senegal.
It said 13 million people were at risk in the Sahel region unless action is taken. The United Nations has made an international appeal for $720 million for the Sahel countries and Oxfam said it needs $38 million to feed one million people most at risk.
