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India: Ravenous rats devour crops; threat of food crisis |
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Emergencies
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Economic poverty is a concern for the coming months.
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An exploding population of ravenous rats is threatening to eat northeastern Indians out of house and home following the rare flowering of the region's bamboos.
The flowers, which bloom approximately every 48 years, are a rare delicacy to rodents and the sudden abundance of food has led to a massive increase in rat numbers in the states of Mizoram and Manipur. The rodents have been sweeping through rice fields decimating the crops, and attacking anything else that is edible.
World Vision India is working in 47 rat-affected villages to counter the invasion by distributing food aid. Some 600 families are being targeted. Communities are also being helped to find new ways of generating alternative income.
Local reports from Mizoram say that the rodents had chewed their way through 6,600 hectares of farmland by last August. The situation now is likely to be worse. In fact communities are opting not to plant new crops of oranges, chilies, bananas and other crops for fear of further worsening the infestation. The fields now lie empty and incomes have dropped.
World Vision programme staff from the region say the rats have even been eating children's uniforms, schoolbooks and household goods.
"This is a slow onset disaster and we are working closely with the government to make sure relief reaches the most needy," said Franklin Joseph, World Vision India Director of Humanitarian Emergency Affairs.
World Vision US and Hong Kong-funded projects are bringing relief to the affected. However, the threat of rat-borne diseases through fleas, rat bites, and contamination of food and water is threatening communities. People in Mizoram and Manipur are living not only in close contact with the rodents but also eating them.
The rat infestation started in late 2005 with the initial flowering of the bamboos - an event known locally as the 'Mautam' - and has been growing ever since.
World Vision fieldworkers say that the situation on the ground remains grave as food is scanty and people are forced to collect yams and other wild vegetables from the rain forest to survive.
"Economic poverty will be even bigger in the coming months with food shortages and health problems topping the list of concerns," said Meren Nampuii, a World Vision programme manager from Mizoram.
For more information please contact: Director of Media and Communications: Jayanth Vincent
+91 44 2480 7000 (7052);
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