African mission to investigate food crisis

The Pan African Parliament will soon send a committee on a fact-finding mission to refugee camps in the eastern Africa in an attempt to get a clearer picture of the food crisis there. Several international aid groups are already working in famine-stricken Somalia, and others have warned of unstable foodstuff situations in nations like Ethiopia.Most Africans dont see World Food Day (October 16) as a reason for celebration. Natural disasters and famine have killed thousands of people in eastern Africa. World Food Day also serves as a reminder of those who have perished and millions more suffering from malnutrition. In recent years, international attention has been more focused on food-crises in war-torn Somalia, which has been hard hit by years of conflict, drought and famine.We have seen an increase in patients. Erm, we even have patients coming from the most severe drought-stricken areas in the Southern parts of Somalia... We make sure the children start drinking this special milk, that they receive in the beginning, until they can start taking plum peanut, or the peanut paste which is the special nutritional paste and then we slowly turn them on to eating normal food, said Medicines Sans Frontieres .Medicines Sans Frontieres says while most of the worlds attention has been focused on Somalia, parts of Ethiopia are also experiencing severe drought after the rains and crops failed in the past year and livestock have started dying.The Head of the Pan African Parliaments Committee on Rural Economy and Agriculture said that Africa needs to use its meagre resources more effectively to work towards improving food security on the continent.When we talk about food security, it is... land becomes the main source of provision for that food security. Because even if people are poor, but if people can be provided with basics like seeds and stuff like that, they can be in a position to ensure that the land provides that minimum requirements of ensuring that children and women do not go to bed hungry, said Jerry Thibedi, Pap Committee on Agriculture.Another form of food insecurity in Africa is the escalating price of food, which has led to food protests in some countries as millions of poverty-stricken Africans battle to feed their families.Many African immigrants in South Africa said one of the reasons they left their countries is the shortage of food back home. Now, they said theyre struggling to cope with the high cost of food in South Africa.Its a disaster. The food here is too much. Everything is too expensive. Now its poverty to us, said resident.Its very difficult. Because the price is very high and people are not working. Even me Im not working, said resident.The Pan African Parliament said African governments have the political will to address the food crisis on the continent. But it added they cannot do it alone.Africa needs help of the world... but we dont help as if we just want to be passive recipients of help. We want to be participants in all initiatives that are intended to help Africa, said Jerry Thibedi, Pap Committee on Agriculture.Experts agreed that Africa faces many challenges, such as climate change and the shortage of food and water, and all mean that the journey towards food security on the continent will be long and hard.