• AFRICA
  Famine Threatens 10 Million People
  
  
• DR CONGO
  Displaced People Settle in Virunga Park
  
  
• JAPAN: Mad Cow Disease Found in Hokkaido
  
  
• CHINA
  Solar Power for Shenzhen Citizen Center
  
  
• CANADA
  Millions for Anti-Softwood Duty Campaign
  
  
• AUSTRALIA
  Fulton's Supermarket Guide to GE Food
  

AFRICA: Famine Threatens 10 Million People

The Rome based UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said Wednesday that at least 10 million people in four southern African countries are threatened by famine.

The agencies say that almost 10 million people across the region need immediate emergency food assistance of some 1.2 million metric tons.

Malawi, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Swaziland will face grave food shortages as early as June, and the situation is expected to continue until the next harvest in April 2003, the observers report.

Zimbabwe is in the greatest danger. The longest dry spell in 20 years has made the food situation especially dire. Commercial farmers who normally produce one-third of the total cereals, have had their farming operations disrupted by the ongoing land reform activities and widespread illegal invasions.

The overall cereal deficit in Zimbabwe is what the UN report calls "a staggering 1.5 million tons, even taking into account anticipated commercial imports and pledged food aid." Some six million people in rural and urban areas are estimated to need emergency food aid.

"Zimbabwe is facing a serious food crisis, even at harvest time, and unless international food assistance is provided urgently and adequately, there will be a serious famine and loss of life in the coming months," the report says.

The government of Lesotho declared a state of famine in April. In Swaziland, a third year of erratic weather with dry spells affecting crops during their critical flowering stage, has reduced production. In Malawi, long dry spells combined with a depletion of national grain reserves contributed to food shortages early this year, driving farmers to consume crops prematurely and sell goats and chickens at throwaway prices to buy food.

A report on Zambia and one on some parts of Mozambique are yet unfinished, but indications are that famine threatens these people too.

Given the gravity of the findings, the food agencies called on donor governments worldwide to respond quickly and generously with food aid donations to avoid widespread hunger from developing into a humanitarian disaster.

Over the next year, nearly four million metric tons of food will need to be imported to meet the minimum food needs of the sub-region's population.

DR CONGO: Displaced People Settle in Virunga Park

The World Wide Fund for Nature is asking the DRC government sitting in Goma to identify alternative land for communities currently living in the park and to stop the settlement of displaced people in the national park.

"WWF urgently appeals to the DRC Goma government to stop encroachment in Virunga National Park by allocating land outside important conservation sites to displaced persons," says Marc Languy, World Wide Fund for Nature's Albertine Rift ecoregion coordinator.

On January 17, lava from an eruption of Mount Nyiragongo destroyed about half the city of Goma and many surrounding villages. An estimated 500,000 residents fled. The majority of people have returned with the exception of a few thousand, some of whom are joining other settlers in the park.

People displaced by ongoing territorial, ethnic and political wars in the region have also migrated to Virunga National Park. According to ICCN, more than 15,000 people have been settled in the park since July 2000.

Activities within the park this month threaten to undermine conservation efforts and the park's potential and opportunities for sustainable development, WWF warns. Forests are being cut to provide land for settlement, farming, and livestock pastures. ICCN reported a convoy of 15 trucks ferrying hundreds cattle into the park.

Three water points and two dispensaries have been constructed within the park and commissioned officially, according to ICCN.

Virunga National Park was established in 1925 as Africa's first protected area. It was designated a World Heritage Site in 1979 and in 1994 was listed as being in danger. WWF Eastern Africa has been implementing conservation activities to safeguard the unique resources of the park for more than 15 years.

Japan: Mad Cow Disease Found in Hokkaido

Dr. Toshikazu Ijichi, director of the Animal Health Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said that the disease occurred in a six year old Holstein cow kept on a dairy farm in Shiranuka Gun, Hokkaido Prefecture. The disease was found when the cow was slaughtered at an abattoir on May 10.

A brain sample from the cow tested positive for the enzyme linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad cow disease. The screening test has been required by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for all cattle slaughtered at abattoirs since Oct 18, 2001.

The test was carried out at Hokkaido Prefectural Kushiro Public Health Center in Kushiro City. The brain sample was sent to the Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine,Obihiro City, Hokkaido Prefecture for confirmation, where tests yielded a positive result on May 12.

The source of the disease causing agent and origin of the infection are under investigation. In Europe, officials found BSE was spread when cattle were fed supplements contaminated with neural tissue from infected animals.

The dairy farm in Hokkaido Prefecture where the BSE case was found has been placed under movement control by the Kushiroe Livestock Hygiene Service Centre. All animals that were kept with the infected cow are being identified. The feed used on the farm, as a possible source of infection, is being subjected to investigation.

BSE is a fatal disease that affects the brains of cattle. It is caused by a self replicating protein known as a prion. First observed in Great Britain in April 1984, it was specifically diagnosed in 1986. Since then, nearly 200,000 cases of BSE in cattle have been identified in the United Kingdom. The epidemic peaked in 1992-93 at almost 1,000 cases per week.

The Office International des Epizooties in Paris, which records all cases of animal disease worldwide, says that 285 cases other cases of mad cow disease have been reported so far this year - all in Europe.

CHINA: Solar Power for Shenzhen Citizen Center

Energy multinational BP announced Wednesday that, in partnership with Kenuo JKD, it has been selected to supply the solar roof. BP Solar is one of the world's largest photovoltaic manufacturers. Kenuo JKD - the Beijing Kenuo Weiye Technology Company Ltd. - is wholly owned by the Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Science.

The project will consist of solar roof cladding with the potential to generate one megawatt of electric power using BP's polycrystalline photovoltaic panels. BP and Kenuo JKD will supply the panels and other components and design an integrated system. The total project is valued at US$7.5 million.

"This project sets a significant milestone for the development of renewable energy in China's eastern seaboard," said Professor Xu Honghua of Kenuo JKD. "We are delighted to be partnering with BP again, building on our track record of delivering integrated solar solutions for China. This project builds on the work we have already done together, supplying solar village and home systems in rural China."

The project extends BP's activity in Shenzhen where it was chosen as the foreign partner to do a feasibility study for China's first liquified natural gas terminal and trunk line.

"We are delighted to be involved in a second energy project in Shenzhen which is helping shift the energy mix to one which is cleaner for the environment," said Gary Dirks, CEO, BP China. "The Shenzhen project provides a powerful demonstration of our ability to deliver solar power in China. This is one of the largest on-grid solar projects that BP has ever been involved with."

CANADA: Millions for Anti-Softwood Duty Campaign

To protect the U.S. lumber industry, earlier this month the U.S. International Trade Commission's imposed a 27 percent tariff on Canadian softwood lumber - the woods that are used for building materials.

International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew announced Monday that C$17 million will be provided for Canadian lumber associations, led by the Forest Products Association of Canada, to undertake an industry led campaign to raise awareness of the negative impact that softwood lumber duties will have in the United States, and to encourage productive negotiations and a resolution of this dispute.

An additional C$3 million will enhance the ability of the Canadian embassy and consulates in the United States to advance Canadian positions on key trade issues such as lumber, agriculture and energy.

These measures complement the C$75 million in funding announced by Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal on May 16, for three initiatives to ensure the long term prosperity and competitiveness of Canada's forest industry.

"In addition to hurting Canadians, punitive U.S. lumber duties also hurt American consumers, home builders and workers," said Pettigrew. "We fully support our industry in its efforts to bring these damaging costs to the attention of Americans. When they realize that these duties favor the few at the expense of many, perhaps Americans will see the need to resolve the dispute in a reasonable way."

The U.S. National Association of Home Builders estimates, "Protecting the lumber industry will raise the price of each new home by as much as $1,500.

A North American wide coalition of environmental groups says the softwood lumber trade is taking place at unsustainable levels and has requested that the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) investigate the toll that the softwood lumber trade between Canada and the United States is taking on Canada's forest and trans-border ecosystems.

The government of Canada will continue to pursue World Trade Organization and NAFTA challenges against the United States, while still remaining open to a durable negotiated solution.

AUSTRALIA: Fulton's Supermarket Guide to GE Food

Designed to give Australian shoppers control over their food, the pocket-sized "True Food Guide is meant to be used in the supermarket. It classifies 170 food companies and 400 products according to their policies on using genetically engineered ingredients.

Launching the guide Wednesday, Margaret Fulton said, “Genetically engineered food threatens everything I stand for. There is enough evidence to tell us that genetically engineered food is not a good idea. The "True Food Guide" will be our reference to what is safe to eat – not only for us, but for our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.”

Colors indicate the companies' GE policies.

• Green: companies that have given written assurance that they are not using GE ingredients anywhere in the food chain.
  
• Orange: companies that are committed to removing GE ingredients and are in the process of doing so.
  
• Red: companies that have no policy to remove GE derived ingredients, including those from animals fed GE feed, and companies that did not respond adequately to Fulton's enquiries.

In support of the guide, Greenpeace Australia released new market research Wednesday, which shows that 68 percent of Australians would be less likely to buy a food if they knew it was genetically engineered.

“It is clear that most Australians don’t want to eat GE foods, but they’ve had no way of knowing how to avoid them,” said Greenpeace GE campaigner John Hepburn. “The True Food Guide will empower shoppers to say no to genetically engineered foods.”

Half a million free guides will be distributed nationally, beginning with the Good Food Shows in Sydney and Melbourne.

The "True Food Guide" is online at: http://www.greenpeace.org.au/truefood/guide.html