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Afghanistan: UN food agency concerned at attacks on schools; faces funding shortfall

Afghanistan: UN food agency concerned at attacks on schools; faces funding shortfall

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The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is concerned about the increasing number of threats and attacks on schools in Afghanistan, where it is involved in on-site and take-home rations, school feeding, construction and de-worming programmes.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is concerned about the increasing number of threats and attacks on schools in Afghanistan, where it is involved in on-site and take-home rations, school feeding, construction and de-worming programmes.

In the past fortnight alone seven schools were attacked, of which 5 were burned, the Agency reported in its latest update.

So far in 2006, 119 schools have been attacked, 72 of them completely or partially burned, and 25 have been subject to threats.

With records suggesting that rainfall in April and May was sub-optimal and preliminary reports indicating a shortfall of 1.2 million metric tons in wheat production, WFP is facing a funding crisis, and without additional donations it will cut back aid in the second half of the year, endangering the nutritional status and livelihoods of millions of Afghans.

Severe shortages of most commodities may happen from the beginning of August. WFP needs approximately 36,000 metric tons of food at an approximate cost of $25 million.