VOA新闻杂志2024--全球超过1.8亿儿童面临严重“食物匮乏”

UN: One-fourth of World’s Youngest Children Lack Food

A recent report from the U.N. children's agency UNICEF says that 181 million children younger than 5 live in severe food poverty. That is more than one-fourth of the world’s youngest children.

The report centered on nearly 100 low- and middle-income countries. The report defines severe food poverty as eating nothing in a day or, at best, two out of eight food groups the agency recognizes.

Africa’s population of more than 1.3 billion people is one of the most affected¹ mainly due to conflict, climate crises and rising food prices. The continent accounts for one-third of those facing hunger and 13 of the 20 most affected countries.

But the report noted² some progress.

The percentage of children living in severe food poverty in West and Central Africa fell from 42 percent to 32 percent over the last ten years, it said. The report noted developments including diversified³ crops and performance-based rewards for health workers.

Without important nutrients⁵, children living with “extremely poor” diets are more likely to experience wasting. Wasting is a life-threatening form of malnutrition⁶, UNICEF said.

Harriet Torlesse is one of the report's writers. She told The Associated Press, “When wasting becomes very severe, they are 12 times more likely to die.”

In Nigeria

In several Nigerian communities, UNICEF is training thousands of women in how to increase their families’ nutrient⁴ intake⁷ with cassava, sweet potato, maize⁸ and vegetables grown in gardens at home. The agency is also helping⁹ train them in raising livestock¹⁰ and chickens.

Several women recently gathered in a Kaltungo village to learn how to prepare those foods. Even without rain, they can be grown in sand-filled containers that require little water.

Mothers in Nigeria also face the country's worst cost of living crisis. Growing food at home saves money.

Aisha Aliyu is a 36-year-old mother of five. She said her youngest child “used to be skinny but is growing fatter” because of what they now grow at home.

Kaltungo is a semi-arid¹¹ area where climate change has limited rainfall in recent years. Some children have died of malnutrition in the past because there is little food, said Ladi Abdullahi. She helps train the women.

The Sahel of the Sahara Desert is another arid area that experiences violent extremism. Malnutrition in the Sahel has reached emergency levels, said Alfred Ejem. He is a food security advisor¹² with the Mercy Corps¹³ aid group in Africa.

Ejem added that families have been forced to eat leaves and insects to survive because of displacement¹⁴ and climate change.

In Nigeria's troubled northwest area, the French medical organization Doctors Without Borders said at least 850 children died last year within 24 to 48 hours of being admitted to its health facilities.

Many malnourished children in the area never make it to a hospital because they live in rural areas or their families cannot pay for care.

Inequality also plays a part in severe food poverty among children in Africa, the new report said. South Africa is the most unequal country in the world. And about one in every four children is affected by severe food poverty even though it is the continent’s most developed nation.

Governments and partners must act urgently, Torlesse said. “The work starts now.”

Words in This Story

income — n. money that is earned from work, investments, business, etc.

diversify¹⁵ — v. to change so that it has more different kinds of people or things

arid — adj. very dry

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 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。

3 diversified   

adj.多样化的，多种经营的v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 )；进入新的商业领域

参考例句：

• The college biology department has diversified by adding new courses in biotechnology. 该学院生物系通过增加生物技术方面的新课程而变得多样化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Take grain as the key link, develop a diversified economy and ensure an all-round development. 以粮为纲，多种经营，全面发展。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 nutrient   

adj.营养的，滋养的；n.营养物，营养品

参考例句：

• Magnesium is the nutrient element in plant growth.镁是植物生长的营养要素。
• The roots transmit moisture and nutrient to the trunk and branches.根将水分和养料输送到干和枝。

5 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

7 intake   

n.吸入，纳入；进气口，入口

参考例句：

• Reduce your salt intake.减少盐的摄入量。
• There was a horrified intake of breath from every child.所有的孩子都害怕地倒抽了一口凉气。

8 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

11 arid   

adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的

参考例句：

• These trees will shield off arid winds and protect the fields.这些树能挡住旱风,保护农田。
• There are serious problems of land degradation in some arid zones.在一些干旱地带存在严重的土地退化问题。

12 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

13 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

14 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

15 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。