Food shortages feared as rains fail

A combination of poor rains, decreased food production and the knock-on effects of increased global prices would adversely affect vulnerable groups in Eritrea this year, aid agencies warned.

“Spikes in acute malnutrition among children are being seen in parts of Eritrea,” the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said.

“Increased numbers of Eritrean immigrants reaching the Afar region of Ethiopia are in a very poor nutritional condition,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

[Full report: http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=80435]