Citation
NAIROBI, April 11 (Reuter) - Food output in the central African state
of Burundi is forecast to fall 22 percent in 1994 and could even plunge
further because of poor weather and political violence, the United
Nations said on Monday.
The fall in food production and other adverse effects of civil strife
have seriously affected the population's nutritional status,
said the
U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Unless the situation improves, about 20 percent of the children under
five run the risk of acute malnutrition. Cases of scurvy were reported
in some areas,
FAO added in a report.
The report was prepared in February and March, before the outbreak of
tribal violence in neighbouring Rwanda last week when the presidents of
both countries were killed by a rocket attack on their plane.
Burundi suffers similar ethnic conflicts, which flared up last October
when the previous president was murdered.
(c) Reuters Limited 1994
