ROME — Poor crop prospects, conflict and forced migration are likely to push more people into hunger in the Horn of Africa this year, a U.N. agency said Monday.
The Food and Agriculture Organization said that it expected an increase from the nearly 20 million people currently depending on food aid in the region. Low rains are blamed for reduced crop harvests in countries such as Somalia, where about half the population needs emergency food aid.
In Uganda, the production of the first season crops is forecast at below average levels, the country's fourth successive poor harvest, the agency said. The maize crop in Kenya is estimated at about 28 percent below normal levels.
Forced migrations in search of water and pasture have worsened livestock conditions, increased disease outbreaks and worsened conflicts in the area.
Worldwide, the number of hungry people is estimated to have reached 1.02 billion — up 11 percent from last year's 915 million, FAO has said.
source: associated press
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