Colombo (dpa) – The United Nations World Food Program is concerned about the consequences of the economic crisis in Sri Lanka on the food supply of the poorest.
Nearly 6.3 million people – or three in 10 households – are at risk of food insecurity and need assistance, the World Food Program (WFP) said in a statement thanking them for a contribution of around 500,000 dollars from Norway. Recent WFP surveys showed that 61% of families are eating less, consuming less nutritious food or even skipping meals in the face of the acute emergency, he said.
An emergency relief program aims to help 3.4 million people in Sri Lanka who are most at risk of food insecurity and malnutrition, he added. The southern Indian island state of about 22 million people is in the midst of the worst economic crisis in decades. More recently, the country, which owes $51 billion abroad, lacked the money to import essential goods such as fuel, medicine and gas for cooking. Food prices have risen sharply, according to official figures, inflation is already above 60%.
“We are deeply concerned about the impact of the current economic and political crisis on the people of Sri Lanka,” the Norwegian ambassador said. Food shortages and rising prices have had a particularly negative impact on the island nation’s children and women.
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