VOA常速英语2007-Food Research Group: Africa Must Do More to End

By William Eagle
Washington
19 October 2007

A new report shows sub-Saharan African countries are not likely to meet three of the Millennium¹ Development Goals supported by the United Nations.  They include cutting hunger and child malnutrition² in half by 2015 and reducing child mortality by two-thirds.  VOA's William Eagle reports from Washington.

The report from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) says only six of the 42 African countries it tracked are likely to reach the U.N. goals: Mozambique, Malawi, Mauritania, Congo-Brazzaville, Mauritius, and Ghana. 

The IFPRI report, called the Global Hunger Index, was released with the German group Agro-Action and Concern Worldwide. 

The report ranks 118 countries worldwide.  At the bottom of the rankings are 10 countries with the highest levels of hunger.  In last place is Burundi (#118).  Just above it are the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Liberia, Niger, Yemen Republic, Angola, Comoros and Zambia.

IFPRI officials say of all the world's regions, sub-Saharan Africa has made the least progress toward reducing hunger since 1990.

Among the countries that have experienced the greatest setbacks during the past 15 years are Liberia, Burundi, Swaziland and the DRC.  Among those that have shown the most progress during that period are Malawi and Mozambique. 

IFPRI officials say 38 of the 42 sub-Saharan African countries ranked are lagging behind their efforts to cut child mortality; 35 are not doing enough to reduce child malnutrition, and 27 have not reduced the number of people who do not have enough to eat.

International Food Policy Research Institute nutritionist and researcher Doris Weismann says a number of factors help determine whether a country will meet the challenge of reducing hunger.  They include education, health care and food production and availability.

She says armed conflict also increases hunger - as combatants cut off food supplies and take food meant for civilians³.  Most sub-Saharan countries involved in war during the past 15 years scored poorly on the Global Hunger Index, including Burundi, Congo, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Angola. 

But Weismann said at lease one country is making progress.

"When we take Ethiopia, we can say that food production has improved, but also child mortality has fallen and child malnutrition has decreased," she said.  "There remains⁴ a lot to do.  Even positive trends depend where you start from.  And Ethiopia has invested not only into agriculture and agricultural extension services but health and education systems, especially since the [end of a border war] with Eritrea.  So I would say it is possible to see some positive steps here."

Improvements in food production can also lead to a drop in global hunger rates.  Weismann says some countries in sub-Saharan Africa, like Ghana and Benin, are growing more food.  But she says improved food production does not necessarily guarantee a drop in hunger rates. 

"You do not only want to have food on the table and in the country," she added.  "[You want to] see that it can be biologically utilized⁵ and put to proper purpose to nourish human beings and keep them healthy.  It is not sufficient to have just enough grains and calories, but [also to have] micronutrients like Vitamin A, iron and zinc⁶ to help people be healthy and children to grow properly."

In other countries, including South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland, food production has been affected⁷ by AIDS. 

The Global Hunger Index shows Swaziland among those countries that have most deteriorated⁸ over the past 15 years - due in part to drought and HIV/ AIDS.  According to U.N. estimates, more than 33 percent of all Swazis between the ages of 15 and 49 are HIV-positive. 

The disease has eliminated adult farmers and heads of households needed to produce food and take care of family health.  It has also reduced the amount of money available to purchase fertilizer and other inputs⁹ needed for improving agriculture.

Weismann says there is a link between success on the Global Hunger Index and strong economies - for example, South Africa and Mauritius are on the top half of the chart.  By contrast, the rankings of Zimbabwe (#93) and of the DRC on the Index are dropping as their economies decline. 

On the other hand, Angola has a growing economy supported by the end of civil conflict and the production of two million barrels of petrol per day. The International Monetary¹⁰ Fund (IMF) predicts a 24 percent economic growth rate for Angola this year, one of the fastest in the world.  Improvements in roads, railways and other infrastructure¹¹ are expected to jump-start agriculture.

But Angola (#118) remains near the bottom of the Global Hunger Index.  Analysts¹² disagree over whether the economic growth has reduced poverty.  Good governance groups, including Transparency International, say poverty reduction is thwarted¹³ by corruption¹⁴ among political and business interests.

Weismann says this is the second year IFPRI has published the Index.  She calls it a tool for NGOs and donors¹⁵, showing them where to increase efforts to reduce hunger and malnutrition.

Media interest has also been high and has brought with it renewed attention to hunger.  For example, Weisman says in Malawi journalists have used the rankings to question legislators and government officials about policies.   As a result, the government has been forced to defend its policies on hunger and malnutrition.

1 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

2 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

3 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 utilized   

v.利用，使用( utilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In the19th century waterpower was widely utilized to generate electricity. 在19世纪人们大规模使用水力来发电。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The empty building can be utilized for city storage. 可以利用那栋空建筑物作城市的仓库。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 zinc   

n.锌；vt.在...上镀锌

参考例句：

• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
• Zinc is used to protect other metals from corrosion.锌被用来保护其他金属不受腐蚀。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 deteriorated   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。
• His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。

9 inputs   

n.输入( input的名词复数 )；投入；输入端；输入的数据v.把…输入电脑( input的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Uncheck the inputs checked for optimization in the previous stage. 不测试那些已经测试过的优化了的以前步骤的inputs.（变量参数）。 来自互联网
• Just in case, save in a file the inputs obtained at the previous stage. 以防万一，保存以前步骤获得的inputs（变量参数值）到一个文件中去。 来自互联网

10 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

11 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

12 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

13 thwarted   

阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过

参考例句：

• The guards thwarted his attempt to escape from prison. 警卫阻扰了他越狱的企图。
• Our plans for a picnic were thwarted by the rain. 我们的野餐计划因雨受挫。

14 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

15 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》