World Food Programme Warns SL of Acute Food Insecurity

An unpublished survey conducted by government agencies and relief organizations in February found that both food insecurity and debt were rising sharply among families hit by drought. Srilanka is facing  the  worst drought in five years. This has pushed 900,000 people into “acute food insecurity” world  Food Programme warns.

The country’s rice harvest could be the worst in 40 years, as the just-completed harvest was 63 percent below normal. Further it  suggest Sri Lanka’s 2017 rice harvest could be less than half the 3 million metric tons recorded last year.

According to WFP assessments the island needs 2.3 million metric tons of rice for annual consumption but the overall 2017 rice harvest is projected to yield just 1.44 metric tons.

The survey found that over one third of the drought-affected households had seen their income drop by half since September and 60 percent of the households surveyed were in debt.