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DAHOMEY 1962. Severe food shortages

May 1962. Dahomey (Benin since 1975). A hand reaches out to a hungry child in the Natitingou area in Northern Dahomey.

05/01/1962

Country or Territory Benin

File size 2.65 MB

Unique ID UF211CM

Editorial use only. Photo credit must be given. For further information contact: Photo-Library@fao.org

Background Information Severe food shortages, even famine, occur time and time again in many African countries, primarily due to drought. The latest famine occurred in May 1962 in Dahomey and Togoland, in the area of the northern frontier of the two
countries.

The drought had caused the millet crop to fail, which usually sustains the people of this region between their first and second crops of staple foods.

As soon as it became apparent that there would be a severe food shortage, the Governments of both countries organized relief operations and appealed for help through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other international relief organizations.