Rich countries 'ignoring lessons of Niger'

Up to 10 million people in southern Africa face severe food shortages brought on by drought and HIV/Aids because wealthy nations are failing to heed the lessons of Niger’s crisis, Oxfam warned today.

Without urgent help, an estimated 4 million people in Malawi, 4 million in Zimbabwe, 1 million in Zambia, 400,000 in Mozambique, 500,000 in Lesotho and 200,000 in Swaziland will not have enough food over the next six months, Oxfam said.