VOA常速英语2008年-Food Price Hikes Affecting Aid Agencies

By Tendai Maphosa
London
23 April 2008

Rising prices are putting food beyond the reach of more people and affecting places where food insecurity has not been an issue. Tendai Maphosa reports for VOA from London that the World Food Program says that also means African countries that were already vulnerable need a lot more help.

The World Food Program is active in almost 40 sub-Saharan African countries. The U.N. agency's Greg Barrow says more people are under threat of being priced out of the food market as most of the countries are food importers.

Barrow says governments importing food pass on the high cost to consumers and this has led to unrest in some countries.

"We have seen this particularly in a number of West African countries that have to import food. Places like Mauritania [and] Senegal where there is a high level of rice consumption and this leads to frustration," he said.

Barrow also noted¹ that high food prices have changed the profile of those threatened by hunger, not only in Africa, but globally.

"The World Food Program has most of its work concentrated in rural areas," he said. "We are finding in urban areas where consumers had been perhaps a little bit better protected because they often earn slightly more than their neighbors who live in the poor areas of the countryside, they are finding that those people who might spend 60, 70 or even 80 percent of their earnings² on food needs are being hit particularly hard."

Because the World Food Program also has to buy the food from exporting countries, it is not immune to price hikes. Barrow said the agency's programs and projects in Africa are still on track.

"In Africa we have not had to make any cuts yet, but if we do not get a significant increase in our funding by the middle of this year then that is the point at which we have to seriously consider cutting rations³ or cutting programs," said Barrow.

However, on Tuesday, the organization said its available food, for Rwanda for example, was able to feed 40 percent fewer people than last June.

Donor⁴ governments and organizations have responded to the WFP's appeals with additional funds. On Tuesday, the European Commission announced another $185 million in food aid to cushion the impact of soaring prices.

The United States, which according to the World Food Program provides about 50 percent of all global food aid, has responded with an additional $200 million to help ease the crisis.

European Union Development Commissioner⁵ Louis Michel described the rise in basic food prices as an emerging worldwide humanitarian⁶ disaster.

1 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

2 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

3 rations   

定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量

参考例句：

• They are provisioned with seven days' rations. 他们得到了7天的给养。
• The soldiers complained that they were getting short rations. 士兵们抱怨他们得到的配给不够数。

4 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

6 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。