A TOTAL of £50,000 has been donated by the Island's overseas aid committee to the charity Plan UK to respond to the food crisis in Niger.

The West African country has, over recent months, been battling the most severe food crisis in years.

Between January and December 2010 government and international non-governmental organisations provided care to 313,000 children suffering from acute malnutrition, 38,000 being hospitalised and 275,000 treated in outpatient centres.

An assessment published last month by the United Nations World Food Programme states that acute malnutrition rates remain high despite a good harvest.

It is urging the the international community to continue to provide assistance to the country.

The assistance by Plan UK aims to deliver food relief and livelihood rehabilitation to 170,000 people.

It will provide supplementary food for malnourished children, pregnant and nursing mothers and their families.

In addition measures will be taken to ensure that vulnerable communities, which may have sold possessions and livestock to afford food, can rebuild their livelihoods and so aid their economic recovery.

Chairman of the overseas aid committee Phil Gawne MHK said: "The committee is glad to be able to provide funding to support this work.

"Though the crisis has not figured highly in the media recently, there are a great many people in serious need in the country which ranks third lowest on the United Nations Development Index."