AFRICA: 23 countries in sub-Saharan Africa are facing food emergencies

23 countries in sub-Saharan Africa are facing food emergencies
 
Armed conflicts and adverse weather major causes of food insecurity in the 
sub-region
 
23 July 2003, Rome -- In sub-Saharan Africa, 23 countries are facing food 
emergencies, according to a new report released by FAO today. 

The countries are 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. 

The main reasons for emergencies are civil strife, drought, the internal 
displacement of people and economic disruption. 


Western Africa 

In Western Africa, food production and other economic activities in several 
coastal countries continue to be disrupted by civil strife. 

In Liberia, persistent armed clashes that restrict access to most 
agricultural areas and cause mass population displacement are a major cause 
of food insecurity. Agricultural production is being disrupted by renewed 
fighting, pointing to a further drop in rice production this year. 

Until recently, some 200 000 internally displaced persons from the north, 
northwest, and central regions were living in camps in the suburbs of 
Monrovia; following recent escalations of violence, most of them have fled to 
the city centre and are living in extremely difficult conditions and are 
dependent on food aid. 

Although the overall security situation is improving in Côte d'Ivoire, the 
food situation remains critical, mainly in the rebel-controlled north and 
west. In the north, access to food is very difficult for cotton farmers who 
were unable to sell their crop because of the conflict. 

In the west, which suffers continuing attacks against civilians and 
population displacement, and where renewed fighting in Liberia has led to a 
new influx of displaced persons, farm families have limited access to their 
fields because of insecurity. More than one million people have been 
displaced by the conflict. 

In Mauritania, although emergency food aid distributions and subsidized sales 
of wheat have improved the food situation in the worst-hit regions, grain 
supplies remain tight and livestock prices are falling, seriously limiting 
access to food for pastoralists and farming households. Approximately 420 000 
people need food assistance. Emergency provision of seeds will be necessary 
to enable drought-affected farming families to resume agricultural 
production. 


Eastern Africa 

In eastern Africa, heavy rains and floods earlier in the year in parts of 
Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia killed a number of people, displaced thousands, 
destroyed or damaged crops and increased the likelihood of serious localized 
food shortages. 

In Eritrea, serious food shortages persist with as many as two-thirds of the 
country's population severely affected due to last year's drought. Of these, 
an estimated 1.4 million need emergency food assistance. In addition, 
humanitarian assistance continues to be needed for large numbers of people 
internally displaced by the recent war with neighbouring Ethiopia and 
returning refugees from Sudan. 

In Ethiopia, the number of people in need of food assistance is now estimated 
at 12.5 million. 

In Sudan, serious food shortages have emerged in several parts of the 
country. In southern Sudan, 1.9 million people will need food assistance 
until the next harvest. 


Southern Africa 

In southern Africa, the 2003 cereal production is forecast to increase by 6.6 
percent over last year's average level to 21.6 million tonnes. Despite better 
harvests, southern Africa still requires a significant amount of food aid in 
the coming months. 

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a major compounding factor in the sub-region's food 
security problems. 

In Zimbabwe, cereal production remained well below normal levels, and 5.5 
million people, or half of the country's total population, need emergency 
food aid. The impact of a severe drought was compounded by the prevailing 
social, economic and political problems. The large-scale farm sector produced 
only one-tenth of its 1990s output. The country faces a shortfall of close to 
1.3 million tonnes of cereals. 

In Mozambique, the overall cereal harvest was good but some 949 000 people 
mainly in the southern provinces will require food assistance due to 
near-total failure of the maize crop. 

In Angola, the 2003 cereal production increased substantially reflecting good 
weather, increased plantings following the return of internally displaced 
people to rural areas, and improved distribution of agricultural inputs. 
However, food aid will continue to be required for 1.4 million people in 
2003/04. 


Central Africa 

In Central Africa, civil strife and insecurity continue to undermine food 
security in several countries. 

A serious humanitarian situation persists in the Democratic Republic of 
Congo, due to inter-ethnic violence. Hundreds of people have been killed and 
thousands displaced. Favourable growing conditions notwithstanding, crop 
production is expected to be sharply reduced in the eastern and north-eastern 
parts following the escalation of civil war. Around 483 000 people will 
receive emergency food assistance from the World Food Programme. 

In the Central African Republic, the food security situation is precarious; 
food production is not expected to increase this year due to persistent 
insecurity, notably in the north. 

In Burundi and Rwanda, rains in late April and May improved conditions for 
the 2003 second season so good crops are in prospect. However, there were 
localized crop losses in some provinces due to unfavourable weather. 

"Food Supply Situation and Crop Prospects in Sub-Saharan Africa" is a report 
of the Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS). 


----------------------------------------------------------------
Contact: 
Erwin Northoff 
Information Officer, FAO 
erwin.northoff@fao.org 
(+39) 06 570 53105 


SOURCE: UN/FAO