KIGALI, Jan. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- Over one million people in Rwanda are facing starvation due to food shortages, according to a recent survey conducted by the Agriculture Ministry and the American Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWSNET) available here on Friday.

    Director in charge of planning in the Ministry of Agriculture Ernest Ruzindana told reporters that the food security situation between January and June this year will be worse than it was during the same period of last year.

    Of the food requirement of 1, 058, 000 metric tons for the season (from January to June), production is projected at only 884,000 tons, we expect to import 141,000 tons thereby having a shortfall of 33, 000 tons, Ruzindana said, adding that most areas in the central African country need to pay special attention.

    They are chronically food insecure due to their proneness to erratic weather conditions, he noted.

    The official figures indicate a big number of people in Butare,Gikongoro Gisenyi, Gitarama provinces faces hunger. Other areas are Byumba, Cyangugu, Kibuye, Kigali and Umutara respectively.

    According to the survey, the food requirement deficit will costan estimated 8.5 million U.S. dollars, which the Agriculture Ministry intends to source from partners.

    Meanwhile, an estimated 11 million people are facing serious food shortages in east Africa and the Horn of Africa due to severedroughts coupled with the effects of past and ongoing conflicts.

    According to FEWSNET, the food shortages are particularly gravein Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti.

    Kenyan Minister for Information and Communications Mutahi Kagwedisclosed earlier that the number of people at risk from the food crisis had increased to 3.5 million from 2.5 million. The number of districts affected by drought is expected to rise to 37 from 17,just over half of Kenya's 70 districts. Enditem