Hunger crisis 'undermines Africa'

The WFP says it has halved malnutrition among boys in Darfur

Increasing levels of hunger are destabilising Africa, the head of the UN's World Food Programme has warned.

James Morris told the United Nations that continuing armed conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa were undermining the WFP's efforts to feed 43m people.

Food shortages could spur migration away from rural areas and spark unrest between villagers and tribes, he added.

Mr Morris criticised world leaders for not making greater efforts to reduce hunger in line with public pledges.

He blamed poverty, conflict, HIV/Aids, drought and weak public governance for contributing the Africa's food crisis.

At 43m, the WFP is attempting to feed twice as many Africans as in 1995.

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Some 852m people around the world are classed as hungry each year, Mr Morris said, despite a 50% reduction in hunger being listed as one of the key Millennium Development Goals.

"Competition for limited food resources in fragile environments can cause instability," Mr Morris said.

"We have seen this problem for decades not just in Sudan, but in Mauritania, Senegal and other countries as well.

"It was one of the early warning signs in Niger, when unrest broke out between nomadic grazers and villagers."

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Just 18 world leaders referred to hunger during more than 170 speeches at the UN's World Development Summit in September, Mr Morris said.

He called for new early warning systems to alert leaders to the dangers of hunger, better planning for shortages and a new attention to maintaining adequate food stocks.