West Africa hunger crisis growing, UN officials say

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West Africa hunger crisis growing, UN officials say

The Associated Press Published Saturday, February 18, 2012 11:02AM EST

In this Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012 file photo, children line up to receive a meal at a food distribution center for those displaced by last year's famine or by conflict, in Mogadishu, Somalia. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)

Text:

Top United Nations officials say 10 million people need help amid a food crisis in West Africa's Sahel region.

UN Development and Humanitarian chiefs Helen Clark and Valerie Amos called Saturday for greater humanitarian response to the crisis that effects eight countries, including Niger.

During a visit, they commended Niger's government for its agricultural projects that are building more resilience to nutrition crises.

The UN has previously said that more than 1 million children in the affected countries are expected to face life-threatening malnutrition this year. The region has not yet recovered from the last drought two years ago, and many families lost their herds which means that they will not have assets to purchase food.