United States’ FAO Ambassador Calls AIDS the ‘Greatest Threat’ to Food Security in Africa

HIV/AIDS poses the "greatest threat to food security" and life in Africa, U.S. Ambassador to the Food and Agriculture Organization George McGovern said yesterday. McGovern said that seven million farm workers worldwide have died of AIDS-related illnesses over the past 15 years and food production in Africa is "already suffering" as a result of these losses (Agence France-Presse, 9/19). McGovern was touring South Africa, Ethiopia and Senegal to assess agricultural programs and the provision of food to children in the three countries (Xinhua News Agency, 9/19). The FAO believes it will have to give additional help to Angola, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe to help address the problems of food production, McGovern said (Agence France-Presse, 9/19). McGovern urged African governments to work with the United Nations to address the problems of HIV/AIDS and malnutrition on the continent (Xinhua News Agency, 9/19).