Aid increased to try to prevent West Africa food crisis

Thousands of needless deaths occurred from famine in East Africa last year because the international community failed to heed early warnings, say two leading British aid organisations.

Oxfam and Save the Children say it took more than six months for aid agencies to act on warnings of imminent famine.

The report comes at the same time as warnings of a worsening food crisis in the Sahel region of West Africa.

The BBC's Mike Wooldridge reports from Niger where food is available in some areas, but rising prices mean many families cannot afford it.