Hunger

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released its price monitoring brief for May here.

Food prices have gone up between 50-70% in parts of the country over the past two years. In part, this has to do with inflation. The Congolese franc was at 647/USD in January 2009, but is now at around 950 FC/USD. Due to conflict, transport problems and the poor organization of agriculture in the country (no infrastructure, few large plantations, expensive credit no cash or fertilizer subsidies), the country amazingly imports over 30% of its cereals (rice, maize, millet). These imports are heavily affected by inflation.

As a consequences, FAO estimates that 500,000 children and 1 million women need urgent nutritional interventions. Amazing in a country with so much rainfall and fertile soils.