Famine Timeline
Below are some of the key events that led to the current disaster.
Aug 04
August is normally the height of the rainy season in West Africa and Niger, but there is hardly any rain.
Sep 04
Many of the crops which survived the poor rains are eaten by locusts. Wave after wave of the insects sweep
across West Africa and Niger is one of the worst-hit countries.
Oct 04
Crops are normally harvested in October. This year, even by the standards of one of the world's poorest
countries -- which largely lies in the Sahara desert -- this is one of the smallest harvests seen.
Jan 05
Many people are running out of food, especially in the southern Niger provinces of Tahoua, Maradi and Zinder.
At first the government seeks to play down the scale of the problems. The Government distributes bags
of staple food, at a subsidised price, but subsistence farmers say they still cannot afford it. Local
journalists who report on the growing problem are accused of being unpatriotic and face sanctions. The
government's emergency food reserves, built up after similar food crises in the 1970s and 1980s, begin
to dwindle.
Feb 05
The UN's World Food Programme (UNWFP) begins an emergency operation for 400,000 people.
May 05
The United Nations again appeals for food aid for Niger -- this time for $16m.
Jun 05
Not a single pledge is received. Some 2,000 people march through the streets of the Niger capital,
Niamey, demanding free food. The Government refuses their demands, saying this would be "foolish,"
even though some 150,000 children are severely malnourished.
Jul 05
Almost no food aid has arrived as the hungry flee Niger.
10 Jul
Niger is one of the countries whose debts are cancelled by the G8 club of the world's most powerful nations.
But its food crisis is not mentioned at the G8 summit in Gleneagles.
20 Jul
The WFP triples the number of people it is helping to 1.2m.
21 Jul
As children start to starve, the top United Nations aid official says the crisis could have been averted
if action had been taken earlier. The UN renews and increases its appeal to $30m –- only $10m is received
from donors. Jan Egeland of the UN comments:
"The world wakes up when we see images on the TV and when we see children dying. We have received more pledges in the past week than we have in six months. But it is too late for some of these children."
"The world wakes up when we see images on the TV and when we see children dying. We have received more pledges in the past week than we have in six months. But it is too late for some of these children."
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