Thousands in need of ’immediate’ food assistance in Niger： UN 聯合國︰數以千計尼日人需「立即」糧食救援

Thousands in need of ’immediate’ food assistance in Niger： UN
聯合國︰數以千計尼日人需「立即」糧食救援
2013-05-15◎魏國金

The United Nations on Sunday said 800,000 people in Niger face food insecurity and that some 84,000 are in immediate need of assistance as the humanitarian crisis worsens in the impoverished landlocked African nation.
聯合國週日表示，尼日80萬人面臨糧食不足問題，約8萬4000人有立即救援之需，因為這個貧窮的非洲內陸國的人道危機惡化。

Struck by droughts and shortages of crops, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs （OCHA） warned in a bulletin that the hunger season, from June through August, poses a significant danger. The harvest generally comes in September.
在乾旱與穀糧短缺衝擊下，聯合國人道事務協調辦公室（OCHA）在公報中警告，從6月到整個8月的饑荒季將引發重大危險。收成通常9月來臨。

OCHA said that of the 800,000 people facing food shortages among Niger’s 17 million population, 84,000 have no more food reserves and are in need of immediate assistance.
OCHA表示，在尼日1700萬人口中，有80萬正面臨糧食短缺，8萬4000人沒有存糧，必須立即援助。

The crisis has forced some to live on leaves and wild berries, or to sell their cattle or agricultural equipment.
該危機已迫使一些人以樹葉與野生漿果果腹，或出售他們的牛與耕作器具。

Niger, one of the world’s poorest countries, is regularly hit by food crises. According to the European Union, 10.3 million people face food shortages this year in the Sahel region which includes Niger.（AFP）
尼日，全球最窮的國家之一，經常遭糧食危機衝擊。根據歐盟資料，包括尼日在內的撒赫勒地區今年有1030萬人面臨食物短缺之苦。（法新社）

新聞辭典

in need of︰有…需要、有…必要。例句︰The educational system was in need of reform.（教育制度有改革必要。）

pose︰動詞，造成、引起。例句︰Genetic research poses many ethical questions.（基因研究引發許多倫理上的問題。）

live on︰靠…生活、以…為食。例句︰Sheep live on grass.（羊以青草維持生命。）