UN warns of food crisis in Zambia

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The poor will suffer first. And most.

"The greatest humanitarian crisis today is not in Pakistan, the tsunami region, or Darfur - though they are all severe - it is the gradual disintegration social structures in southern Africa. Hunger is playing a critical part," Morris said.

An estimated 12 million people in six southern African countries are expected to need food aid before the next harvest in February and March due to crop failure and the rising cost of grain. In Malawi alone up to five million people - 40 percent of the population - are facing shortages.

Water levels in Zambia's Southern Province are at near record lows, WFP said on Friday. More than 70 percent of bore holes and wells have dried up, and rivers have dropped to their lowest levels in nearly 12 years, according to district officials.

Maize prices have risen by up to 60 percent since last year, pushing the staple beyond the reach of the poorest, WFP said. In desperation, families have sold their livestock to buy food and most have nothing left to sell.

In a normal year, people could rely on wild fruits and roots for sustenance between harvests. But this year, most wild foods are already depleted, WFP said.

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