Global numbers afflicted by acute hunger rose from 850 million to 925 million by the start of this year because of rising prices, the head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation said yesterday.
Worst hit by the Sidr on November 15 last year, Southkhali union under Sharankhola upazila of Bagerhat district now sees severe food crisis and many people are reportedly suffering from various diseases resulting from starvation and semi-starvation.
Lack of employment opportunity coupled with absence of relief for the Sidr-hit people during the last three months has worsened the situation, locals said.
Lesser grains: Can millet save the hungry millions?
BY VIKRAM DOCTOR
A FEW months back when the food crisis was big news and there was much agonising about inadequate supplies of rice, wheat and corn, I remember thinking, well what about eating millet instead? It
A "Marie Antoinette moment'? Or much ado about nothing?
Either way it had all the trappings of a perfect media storm with Prince Charles bang at the centre of it. He was dubbed a "modern Marie Antoinette' after his remarks in a newspaper interview recently were interpreted as effectively tellin g people to eat organic food when, thanks to rising prices, they are struggling to afford Pot Noodle.
IN spite of substantial economic growth of the country during the last decade and some laudable initiatives to help the poor, a large section of population still face acute poverty and hunger. According to an estimate, about 36 million people still live below the poverty line. Bangladesh has set a target of achieving millennium development goals where eradication of poverty and hunger has been placed as the topmost aim.
The government of India and the Unicef today launched a five-year (2008-2012) action plan to help India combat the challenges of excessive malnutrition, high infant and maternal mortality rates, lack of quality education, safe water and sanitation. With seven years to go for the realisation of millennium development goals (MDGs), India is way off in terms of eradicating extreme hunger and poverty with 34.3 per cent of its people still live on less than one dollar a day.
