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2017考研英语拓展阅读：联合国向津巴布韦援助高产作物种子

　　HARARE — The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO, has started distributing biofortified maize and bean seeds to farmers impacted by drought in Zimbabwe.

　　哈拉雷报道——联合国粮农组织(FAO)开始向受到旱灾影响的津巴布韦农民们分发使用了生物增强技术的玉米和大豆种子。

　　A good harvest in March is seen as key to helping families escape the lengthy food crisis.

　　三月份的好收成被视为帮助家庭脱离漫长饥荒的关键。

　　"We have had two bad seasons, and a lot of farmers do not have adequate seeds,” said Chimimba David Phiri, the head of FAO for southern Africa. “We need to support the farmers to have the seed that they need for them to grow this season, and also to avoid a problem of having continued humanitarian support.

　　“我们两季的收成都不好，而且很多农民没有足够的种子。”FAO非洲南部分部负责人奇姆巴·大卫·菲力说，“我们需要帮助农民们提供他们在这一季播种所需要的种子，也要避免成为持续性的人道主义支援问题。”

　　“So it is very important that farmers plant and on time so that we avert hunger for next season as well. … I do not think they can take it anymore."

　　“所以农民们按时播种很重要，这样我们就可以避免下一季的饥荒……我觉得他们是承受不起又一次饥荒的。”

　　Millions of people across southern Africa are dealing with food shortages as a result of El Nino-induced drought.

　　因为厄尔尼诺现象引发了干旱，非洲南部收百万人正面临食物短缺。

　　In March, the U.N. Children’s Fund said Zimbabwe is facing its worst child malnutrition rates in 15 years. Rural areas have been hit especially hard.

　　联合国儿童基金会三月份称津巴布韦的儿童营养不良率是15年来的最高水平。农村地区的情况尤为严重。

　　The seeds being distributed are designed to produce more nutritious crops.

　　分发的种子旨在生产更多的营养作物。

　　Farmer Mirriam Chagweja from Silobela, about 300 kilometers southwest of Harare, planted some of the biofortified maize and beans in her field in February. She obtained them as part of an initiative funded by the British government, which is also funding the FAO program.

　　农民米莉亚姆·查克威亚来自哈拉雷西南部约300公里的西罗贝拉，她二月份在田地里播种了一些使用了由FAO援助的、使用了生物增强技术的玉米和大豆。

　　“I would encourage others to go on board and join,” she said. “I noticed that for the beans, you get more yields compared to other ordinary varieties.”

　　“我会鼓励其他人参加到这个项目中来的。”她说，“我看了大豆的收成，与常规品种相比要更多一些。”

　　The seed distribution program is targeting about 127,000 small-holder farm households in eight districts, before it rolls out to other parts of the country, according to FAO.

　　FAO称，种子分发项目将在八个区域内的12.7万个小型家庭农场里推行，之后在津巴布韦其他地方普及开来。