Millions of People in Sudan Facing Food Insecurity

数百万苏丹人面临粮食短缺

From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。

The United Nations reports that more than 3.3 million people are now experiencing food insecurity in Sudan. That number is expected to rise in the next several month to 4 million. About 11 percent of the country's estimated 34 million people would be affected by the rise.

联合国报告称，苏丹有330多万人正面临着粮食短缺。该数字预计在未来数月将上升到400万。该国3400万人口中，大约有11%的人口将受此影响。

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Agency(FAO) says fighting, displacement and poor harvests prevent many people from receiving food. Rosanne Marchesich represents the FAO in Sudan. She is shocked by the size of crisis.

联合国粮农机构表示，战乱，流离失所和粮食歉收使得许多人无法获得食物。Rosanne Marchesich是粮农组织驻苏丹代表。她对危机的规模感到震惊。

"The numbers are quite astonishing,"said Marchesich.

她说，“该数字是相当惊人的。”

Ms Marchesich says Sudan is facing – what she calls – an early lean season.

Marchesich女士表示，苏丹正面临着她所谓青黄不接。

"When the harvest is finished and the amount of locally available food is diminished. That's what the lean season is,"said Marchesich.

她说，“当收成被吃光，而当地可利用的食物量减少。这就是所谓的青黄不接。”

She says food support is needed in millions of Sudanese homes for several reasons. She notes the conflicts in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan States, and especially in Darfur. Huge numbers of people have fled the violence. About 380,000 people were displaced in 2013.

她说，数百万苏丹人需要食品援助有几方面的原因。她提到了青尼罗州和南科尔多凡州的冲突，特别是达尔富尔地区的冲突。大量人逃离这一暴力冲突。2013年有38万人流离失所。

Ms Marchesich says, already this year, 280,000 people have fled their home in Darfur. Also, permanent and traveling planters and animal farmers sometimes fight for resources. And weather can be a major barrier to food security. Long extremely dry periods are followed by floods.

Marchesich表示，今年已经有28万人逃离了达尔富尔地区的家园。此外，常住和迁徙的农场主以及牧民有时会为资源而发生争斗。同时天气也是粮食安全的重要障碍。长期极端干旱期之后就是洪灾。

"So, it's really a human disaster and natural disaster – a combination of the two," said Marchesich.

她说，“所以这是天灾和人祸相结合。”

Low food supplies in parts of Sudan have caused a sudden rise in food prices. Meat price, for example, are up 45 percent. Vegetable prices have risen by 40 percent. In addition, the cost of transporting food has increased by 70 percent. Conflict in neighboring South Sudan makes the food situation more difficult. Refugees continue to cross the border and enter camps in Sudan.

苏丹部分地区粮食供应不足已经造成食品价格暴涨。举例来说，肉类价格涨了45%，蔬菜价格涨了40%。此外，食品运输成本涨了70%。邻国南苏丹的冲突使得粮食形势更加严峻。难民不断越界进入苏丹的难民营。

The FAO official says it is very important to continue to provide these people with seeds and farm supplies. Help is also needed for communities around the camps, and for the refugees who return home.

联合国粮农组织官员表示，继续为这些人提供种子和农用物资非常重要。难民营周边社区，以及回归家园的难民也需要帮助。

"And they're returning to nothing. So these people need to have seeds and tools so that they can plant and have a harvest," said Marchesich.

她说，“他们一无所有回到家。所以这些人需要种子和工具，这样才能种地并收获。”

Ms Marchesich says thousands of metric tons of seed are required and farmers need almost one-million agricultural tools.

Marchesich女士说，农民们需要数千公吨种子和1百万件农具。

And that's the Agriculture Report from VOA Learning English, I'm Caty Weaver.

以上就是本期美国之音慢速英语农业报道的全部内容，我是卡蒂·韦弗(Caty Weaver)。

Millions of People in Sudan Facing Food Insecurity

By VOA

28 April, 2014

From VOA Learning English, this is the Agriculture Report.

The United Nations reports that more than 3.3 million people are now experiencing food insecurity in Sudan. That number is expected to rise in the next several month to 4 million. About 11 percent of the country's estimated 34 million people would be affected by the rise.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Agency(FAO) says fighting, displacement and poor harvests prevent many people from receiving food. Rosanne Marchesich represents the FAO in Sudan. She is shocked by the size of crisis.

"The numbers are quite astonishing,"said Marchesich.

Ms Marchesich says Sudan is facing – what she calls – an early lean season.

"When the harvest is finished and the amount of locally available food is diminished. That's what the lean season is,"said Marchesich.

She says food support is needed in millions of Sudanese homes for several reasons. She notes the conflicts in Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan States, and especially in Darfur. Huge numbers of people have fled the violence. About 380,000 people were displaced in 2013.

Ms Marchesich says, already this year, 280,000 people have fled their home in Darfur. Also, permanent and traveling planters and animal farmers sometimes fight for resources. And weather can be a major barrier to food security. Long extremely dry periods are followed by floods.

"So, it's really a human disaster and natural disaster – a combination of the two," said Marchesich.

Low food supplies in parts of Sudan have caused a sudden rise in food prices. Meat price, for example, are up 45 percent. Vegetable prices have risen by 40 percent. In addition, the cost of transporting food has increased by 70 percent. Conflict in neighboring South Sudan makes the food situation more difficult. Refugees continue to cross the border and enter camps in Sudan.

The FAO official says it is very important to continue to provide these people with seeds and farm supplies. Help is also needed for communities around the camps, and for the refugees who return home.

"And they're returning to nothing. So these people need to have seeds and tools so that they can plant and have a harvest," said Marchesich.

Ms Marchesich says thousands of metric tons of seed are required and farmers need almost one-million agricultural tools.

And that's the Agriculture Report from VOA Learning English, I'm Caty Weaver.