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8 December 2003 Rome -- Though some
regions in Sub-Saharan Africa can expect bumper crops, food
shortages are forecast in 23 countries throughout the continent,
according to the Africa Report released today by FAO.*
According to FAO's Global Information
and Early Warning System, this provides an opportunity to
enhance food security through trade from surplus to deficit
areas.
FAO urges aid agencies to rely on
local purchases or triangular transactions to carry out food aid
activities. In triangular transactions a third party finances
trading between two other parties.
For
example, when a donor agency purchases grain from a farm coop
and provides the grain to a non-governmental organization to use
in nutrition programs, or to a government warehouse to replenish
a grain reserves.
The Africa Report is a
regional and country-by-country breakdown of crop prospects and
food shortages in sub-Saharan Africa, including expected food
aid requirements.
East African
trouble spots
According to the
report, in eastern Africa, the total cereal
output is expected to increase over the last year's reduced
amount. "However, the impact of successive droughts in
parts of Somalia and south-eastern Ethiopia is a cause for
serious concern."
Somalia faces a
"serious humanitarian crisis" in the Sool
Plateau caused by successive drought, crop failure and the
widespread loss of livestock. "An estimated 93,000
people are in need of urgent food and other humanitarian
assistance," the report says.
In
Eritrea, despite improved cereal production over last
year's extremely poor crop, 1.4 million people will need
emergency food aid. But, Ethiopia and Sudan expect generally
improved 2003 harvests that should enhance food security.
Tanzania faces serious threats to food
security for the central, southern and northern coastal areas
due to drought, but the food supply situation overall is stable.
Intensified civil strife in the north and
east of Uganda has swollen the number of displaced people in the
country and increased humanitarian assistance needs.
West Africa sees some improvement
In Western Africa, a
bumper crop is expected in the Sahel, following generally
favorable weather throughout the growing season. However,
according to the report, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau and
Mauritania still face food shortages.
In
Côte d'Ivoire, the food situation is critical, particularly
in the west and rebel-controlled north. In Liberia, the
humanitarian situation is improving following a peace agreement
in mid-August and the deployment of a West African peace keeping
force, but the overall security situation remains precarious.
In neighboring Sierra Leone, despite
below-normal rainfall, the overall food security situation has
improved with returning refugees and displaced farmers resuming
farming activities.
Central
Africa continues to suffer from the aftermath of
conflict in the two largest countries of the sub-region. Food
production in the Central African Republic is not expected to
increase this year, notably in the north, due to insecurity at
planting time and a lack of seeds.
In the
Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, food production
continues to be hampered by insecurity.
Normal weather expected in southern
Africa
The report forecasts
normal weather conditions in southern Africa for the 2003/04
agricultural season which has just begun. But, it warns, several
countries are still threatened by serious food shortages.
Zimbabwe faces widespread shortages of key
inputs such as seeds, fertilizer, fuel and farm power, which
will limit the area planted. Some 5.5 million people, or half of
the country's total population, are in need of emergency
food assistance.
In Angola, food assistance
is needed for 1.4 million vulnerable people in spite of good
harvests in 2003.
Madagascar has an
estimated 600 000 people in need offood assistance due to a poor
maize harvest causedby drought last season and in Mozambique,
some 659 000 need food assistance due to near-total maize crop
failure last season.
The report says that
the HIV/AIDS pandemic has a major and widespread impact on
sub-Saharan Africa's food security.
The Africa Report is published three times annually by
FAO's Global Information and Early Warning
System.
*The 23 countries facing food
emergencies:
Angola, Burundi, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic
of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya,
Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mozambique, Sierra
Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, and
Zimbabwe.
Contact:
John Riddle
Information Officer, FAO
john.riddle@fao.org
(+39) 06 570 53259
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