The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has announced a half billion dollar catalytic fund to back efforts to improve food security on the continent over the next five years. The organisation looks to reach 28 million farmers across 15 countries to boost productivity and income. The announcement comes as the Horn of Africa faces the worst drought in four decades. Humanitarian organisations estimate that 22 million people in the region are already in the clutches of a growing food crisis. Half of Somalia's population is in dire need of emergency humanitarian assistance, with millions more affected in Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan. Experts forecast that the coming months will bring the region's fifth consecutive failed rainy season, exacerbating the crisis. The war in eastern Europe has been a factor as well, as Russia and Ukraine were the source of the majority of wheat imports for most Horn of Africa nations. UN officials warn that more than 200,000 are at risk of dying — potentially by the end of the year – if action is not taken immediately. AGRA was founded 15 years ago by the Bill & Melinda Gates and Rockefeller foundations.
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