The United Nations launches an appeal for 69 million dollars in emergency aid to feed more than 2.5 million people facing starvation in southern Africa.
The U.N. World Food Program says it needs nearly 146,000 tons of food to feed people in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It says the response from western donors has been weak.
The agency blames drought, floods, economic hardship and the high price of imported staple food for the food shortages.
Experts say the problems of mismanagement of farms, political turmoil, and drought are expected to continue next year.
Some information for this report provided by AP.