Skepticism Over Food Aid to North Korea

The government in Seoul is holding off the food aid sent by private groups to North Korea.

Severe Malnutrition Showing in North Korea

Severe malnutrition seems to be on the rise in poorer, more remote parts of North Korea.

What Constitutes a Famine?

Why scientists and people in the food aid world disagree on labeling the food crisis in East Africa as ‘famine?’

Somalia food aid reportedly bypasses needy

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Food aid to Somalia is being diverted and stolen on a massive scale, according to a leaked United Nations report. Anchor Marco Werman gets the details from Jeffrey Gettleman, East Africa correspondent for the New York Times. Download MP3 (Photo courtesy of World Food Program)

• Jeffrey Gettleman’s story in the New York Times
• World Food Program – Somalia
• BBC World Service Africa

Ethiopia asks for urgent food aid

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The Ethiopian government has asked the international community for emergency food aid for 6.2 million people. The request came at a meeting of donors to discuss the impact of a prolonged drought affecting parts of East Africa. BBC correspondent Mike Wooldridge witnessed Ethiopia’s famine in the 80s. Now he’s back, Marco Werman talks with him. Download MP3

• BBC coverage

African famines examined

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Famines often occur during times of drought, but their causes go much deeper than a lack of rain. With East Africa now facing widespread hunger, we look back at a major food crisis that struck the Western African nation of Niger in 2005. Reporter David Hecht examines the roots of that crisis and finds some of them stretching across Niger’s border, to the neighboring country of Nigeria. Download MP3

• 2005 Niger food crisis
• Niger country profile