Food Crisis Stunts Child Growth

United Nations, Apr 30 (Prensa Latina) A specialized UN agency warned that an entire generation of children have their normal development threatened due to lack of food as a result of the hike in food prices.

"Even if deprivation of nutrients required by children to grow is temporary it can atrophy their physical development and intelectual potential," warned a communique revealed by the World Food Program (WFP).

The UN agency stressed that the negative effects of this problem are no longer reversible and indicated that it has long term consequences on economic productivity of countries.

The WFP took advantage of the occasion to remind the world that its assistance of 73 million hungry children has had to be cut in 78 countries.

Referring to this issue, UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon launched a dramatic call to the world community in Berne, Switzerland, to help cover the 755 million additional dollars requested by the WFP to continue its task.

The scarcity of food and fuel for its distribution has caused severe inflation in operational costs of WFP this year.

"If we do not obtain these funds we run the risk of generalized famine in addition to malnutrition and unprecedented social disturbances," the secretary general warned the UN Board of Executives.

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