BREAKING NEWS

Half of Iraqi families at risk of hunger after years of war

By REUTERS

APRIL 10, 2017 19:23

ROME - More than half of Iraqi families are at risk of going hungry, a UN agency said on Monday, warning of "unprecedented levels of vulnerability" faced by the population due to years of conflict.

Most families in the country will no longer be able to feed themselves if basic food prices increase or fighting escalates, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).

"They can't absorb any more shocks," said WFP spokeswoman Dina El-Kassaby.

Conflict and instability have stifled food production in Iraq, according to the United Nations. Farmers face shortages of seeds and fertilizers and many have been forced to abandon their land or sell their animals.

A study by WFP and the Iraqi government found that 2.5 percent of the population, or more than 800,000 people, are going to bed hungry every night.

There are concerns this figure could increase, as two thirds of internally displaced people and more than half of Iraqis living in their homes have barely enough to feed themselves, said El-Kassaby.

Almost 75 percent of Iraqi children under the age of 15 are working to help their families put food on the table instead of going to school, WFP said.

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