UNFAO expects 1 million ton food shortage in Syria

ADANA - Anadolu Agency

The UNFOA says Syriam may suffer from 1 million ton food shortage. REUTERS photo

A 1 million ton food shortage is expected in Syria after the halting of agricultural production due to the displacement of more than 4 million people, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s (UNFAO) Turkey representative.

“More than 4 million people have left their houses in Syria. This means agricultural production has almost stopped. So, in accordance with the data we have, there will be a one million ton food shortage in Syria, which should be covered by the U.N. and international organizations,” Mustafa Sinaceur, UNFAO representative and coordinator for the Central Asia Sub-Continent, said yesterday.

870 million people in the world are chronically undernourished, according to U.N. figures. Approximately 24 percent of children under 5 are biologically underdeveloped due to malnutrition. Around 2 billion people cannot obtain sufficient minerals or vitamins to remain healthy. At the same time, an estimated 1.4 billion people worldwide are overweight.