The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has said that more than 660,000tonnes of food aid were needed urgently in drought-stricken Ethiopia as existing supplies could run out by the end of June.
WFP says that around 11 million people out of a population of 67 million face severe foodshortages due to poor harvests unless aid reaches them in the next few months.
"We are urging donors to continue giving food aid to Ethiopia to prevent cereal supplies from running out at the end of June," WFP Ethiopia spokesman Wagdi Othman told journalists, echoing a call for more food aid made by Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi during his current visit to London.
"A break in the food pipeline could lead to a severe deterioration of the nutritional situation of millions of people throughout Ethiopia," Othman said.
In an interview with the BBC's Focus on Africa on Sunday,Meles urged the international community to keep up the reliefeffort.
"A recent drop in food donations could endanger faminerelief efforts in the country," Meles said.
Othman said there was enough food to feed the 11.3 milliondrought-affected people until the end of June, but only atreduced rations.
"Due to insufficient relief food available, beneficiariesare getting 12.5 kg (27 lb) per person per month instead of thenormal 15 kg (33 lb) monthly ration, which is not enough forpeople entirely dependent on food aid," he said.
WFP said about 55 percent of the total food aid needed in2003 had so far been received from donors.