Largest International Federation operation since the Balkans getting underway in southern Africa
22 July 2002

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies today launched its largest appeal since the Balkans operation three years ago, seeking US$61.9 million (89.2 million Swiss francs) to provide direct support, including 76,000 metric tonnes of food, to 750,000 people affected by a severe food crisis in a region where HIV infection rates are running as high as 34%.

A total of 1.3 million people in need will be reached through one of the largest-ever Red Cross truck fleets assembled for general food distributions as it will also be put at the disposal of the UN World Food Programme and other agencies responding to the emergency.

At a press conference in Johannesburg today, the leaders of the Red Cross in Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe declared that "the combination of hunger and AIDS is causing a terrible tragedy which the world needs to respond to urgently."

Mcbain Kanongodza, secretary general of the Malawi Red Cross, said that at least 13 million people are threatened by starvation in the coming months. "To date, the response from the international community, especially those countries that manage the bulk of the world's food supply, has not been adequate to meet the acute needs of the people in the region," he said.

Red Cross assistance throughout the region will be targeted at households made vulnerable by HIVAIDS. Criteria for beneficiary selection include households affected by HIV/AIDS and those headed by children, women and the elderly. Over 50% of Red Cross beneficiaries will be children. Significant Red Cross food distributions are already underway in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The appeal recognizes that there are huge logistical challenges for the Red Cross, the UN World Food Programme and other agencies in bringing food to the most vulnerable in remote parts of southern Africa and a central part of the Federation appeal will be to provide a fleet of 200 trucks - through the Norwegian government and Norwegian Red Cross - to ensure food deliveries take place off the main roads. This fleet will have the capacity to deliver 1,000 metric tonnes at a time, when fully deployed from August onwards.

The appeal will also provide other inputs besides the 76,000 metric tonnes of food and transport. These will include improvements to water and sanitation facilities in poor rural communities. Blankets and medical supplies will also be provided. Subsistence farmers will benefit from distributions of agricultural tools, seeds and fertilizer. The next main harvest in the region will not be until March 2003 and the present food shortfall is put at four million metric tonnes.

"It is already too late for many people and there is little doubt that a tragic loss of life will overtake many isolated communities across these countries in the coming months. Malnutrition is the deadliest enemy of a population already weakened by HIV/AIDS. We hope that donors will respond quickly and generously to this appeal," said Federation Food Security Co-ordinator, Renny Nancholas, today in Johannesburg.

Background note for journalists on HIV/AIDS and Food Security:

HIV/AIDS reduces:

- Food availability (through falling production, loss of family labour, land and other resources; loss of livestock assets and implements;

- Food access (through declining income for food purchases);

- The stability and quality of food supplies (through shifts to less labour intensive production);

- The HIV/AIDS pandemic has several distinctive features:

- HIV leads to AIDS which is fatal, however, early diagnosis and access to food and basic care can prolong life and keep a person healthy and productive for a longer period of time

- In contrast with other diseases, AIDS kills mostly members of the productive age group 15-49 years, leaving behind the elderly and the young

- Targeting interventions is hindered by the fear of infected people to identify themselves as well as the stigma from communities. The private nature of, and divergent cultural attitudes towards sex tend to lead to silence, denial, stigma, and discrimination at many levels

- Too little is known about shorter and longer term food and income needs of infected individuals and affected households

- Food consumption has been found to drop by 40 percent in homes affected by HIV/AIDS

- The most-affected African countries could lose up to 26 percent of their agricultural labour force within two decades

- Labour intensive farming systems with a low level of mechanization are worst affected.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

In South Africa
Karien Polley, Press Officer, South African Red Cross Society - Tel: + 27 21 418 66 40
Grethe Ostern, Press Officer, International Federation - Tel: + 27 72 18 78 855 (mobile)

International Federation in Geneva
Denis McClean, Head, Media Service - Tel: + 41 22 730 44 28 / + 41 79 217 33 57 (mobile)
Marie-Françoise Borel, Press Officer - Tel: + 41 22 730 43 46 / + 41 79 217 33 45 (mobile)
Eva Calvo, Press Officer - Tel: +41 22 730 43 57 / +41 79 217 33 72
Duty phone: + 41 79 416 38 81

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.