More food aid planned for drought zones

The United Nations System says an estimated 160,000 people are still affected by the months of drought that have affected Papua New Guinea.

Parts of PNG has been battling flooding in recent weeks but there is still a need for relief in the wake of the drought, which lasted until March after beginning almost a year ago in some areas.

The UN's resident co-ordinator in PNG, Roy Trivedy, said data appears to show thousands still face food security issues.

He said with help from other organisations like the World Food Program and UNICEF, they would shortly start delivering food and nutrition supplies, mostly in the Highlands but also to parts of Milne Bay.

Mr Trivedy explained that the planned two month-long exercise aimed to help people until they could get their own crops growing.

"Our major worry is that if we don't provide that kind of support then people are going to go into the remainder of this year having been food insecure, not having enough food, then having to replant later in the year and struggling throughout that whole process," he said.