North Korea drought: Children at risk in ‘worst crisis since 2001’.
North Korea is facing severe food shortages after being hit by its worst drought since 2001, a report from the United Nations says.
Crop production in the country has been hampered by a prolonged dry period and food imports are now urgently required to fill the gap, the UN has warned.
The harvesting of crops from the early season, including wheat, barley and potatoes, has also been affected, the FAO said.
Inefficient food production means that large parts of the North Korean population face malnutrition or death.
As key crop planting and production periods for 2017 elapse, the country requires food imports for at least the next three months to ensure that it has an adequate supply, the FAO said.
The cumulative effects of flooding, combined with inefficient food production, have led to a stagnation in the country’s ability to deal with food shortages and malnutrition.
North Korea suffered serious famine in the 1990s.
That year, the agency said it planned to provide aid to about a third of the population, or nearly seven-and-a-half million people.
In 2001, after North Korea suffered its worst winter in 50 years, the country faced a serious lack of corn and wheat.