ANGOLA (19 September)
Following the massive return of the displaced population to their area of origin and as a result of generally favourable weather and a substantial increase in areas sown, the aggregate cereal production in 2003 rose by almost 25 percent to 670 000 tonnes. Output from other crops – including cassava, pulses and sweet potatoes – is also estimated to have increased, reflecting larger areas sown and good yields.
The cereal import requirement in the 2003/04 marketing year (April/March) is estimated at 709 000 tonnes, including 219 000 tonnes of food aid. One-and-a-half years after the peace settlement, and despite the improvement in domestic production, the number of people in need of food assistance remains unchanged from last year at around 1.4 million. WFP plans to assist over 1 million most vulnerable people including returnee farmers, resettled farmers, socially vulnerable groups, IDPs still in refugee areas, and vulnerable resident farmers. Food aid pledges by mid-September amounted to 134 400 tonnes, of which 109 300 tonnes have already been delivered. Additional resources are urgently needed for the WFP EMOP to assist Angolan refugees in Namibia and avoid a break in the pipeline from October.
All vulnerable groups are in the process of clearing land for planting the imminent 2004 main cropping season. Almost 2 million farmers will receive agricultural emergency assistance over the next few weeks. FAO will provide agricultural kits to farmers in 14 of the 18 provinces in Angola. The kits will include locally adapted varieties of maize, beans, vegetable, millet and sorghum seeds, and agricultural tools such as hoes and machetes. Other humanitarian organizations will distribute an additional 300 000 kits, bringing the total to around 600 000 kits.