USAID supports southern Madagascar with a sum of US$7.5m to cover up for about 100,000 individuals having an impoverished state and for the victimized farmers of climate disasters.
Approximately half a million children in southern Madagascar under the age of five are suffering from malnutrition. For the past four decades, the country has experienced severe droughts leaving its inhabitants with famine and farming challenges. The hunger is expected to tighten up as the state of the country remains the same, the figures are likely to multiply by four.
Climate change is expected to increase the extreme weather condition of the country. The temperatures are expected to rise and rainfall is expected to reduce making farming a difficult practice in the country.
As a result, John Dunlop, mission director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced the support of the US government worth US$7.5m.
In the previous months, the US government has shown support in view of its donation of the US$40m emergency fund, the US$100m worth development programs, and other projects. Since the year 2015, US has been the major and single donor of the country. It has in all its efforts tried to alleviate hunger and malnutrition in the country spending over US$236m so far on this effort. USAID last year, recorded an amount of US$133.5m as a donation to the country to help still in its impoverished state.
The country, however, has shown no signs of improvement and seems to be suffering greatly as farmers lament about the weather conditions and individuals have no nutritious food at their disposal.
The US government has hence seen the need to intervene once again. The US$7.5m sum of money is expected to feed, give water, and treatment to approximately 46,000 people including children and pregnant women. Aside from this, the USAID will provide medical care to approximately 13,000 people with malnutrition also including children. And 41,000 farmers will get seeds and other support, along with the hope that the next harvest season will be better,” John Dunlop explained The projections of the upcoming harvest of the country have proven to be unfortunate. The condition of the country is likely to increase in the coming months.
John Dunlop has revealed that this aid will last from now to September and is expected to help the people of southern Madagascar to some extent. “Unfortunately all the money we’ve dedicated to this emergency isn’t enough to feed and care for everyone who needs it. That is why we continue to see reports of people eating leaves or locusts,” John Dunlop revealed. “More needs to be done. Some donors have recently announced contributions. This is very welcomed, but even more, help is necessary to meet the tremendous need that exists,” he further said.
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