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Wednesday, October 15, 2003

East African countries face food shortages: FAO

Reuters
Rome, October 15

Severe food shortages face several countries in east Africa due to drought,
poverty and conflict, although rains in July and August improved cereal crop
prospects, the United Nations food body said on Wednesday.

About 13.2 million people in Ethiopia were in need of food aid, compared
with an earlier estimate of 12.5 million, the UN Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO) said in a report.

In Eritrea about 2.3 million people were reported to be facing severe food
shortages as a result of last year's drought, poverty and the lingering
effects of the war with Ethiopia, FAO said in its latest "Foodcrops and
Shortages" report.

In Tanzania a long drought in several areas was partially to blame for an
estimated 1.9 million people in need of food aid.

"The situation in northern and eastern areas of Uganda has deteriorated with
the escalation of armed conflict," FAO said.

"Recent fighting between government forces and rebels has displaced more
than 820,000 people, bringing the total number of those in need of emergency
assistance to more than 1.6 million."

In eastern Africa, abundant rains in July and August generally improved
prospects for 2003 cereal crops, Rome-based FAO said. However, severe floods
and erratic rains in some areas might still affect yields.

"The regional climate forecast for the period from September to December
2003 is mixed," the organisation said.

Most parts of Uganda, southern Sudan and southern Ethiopia were expected to
receive normal to above-normal rainfall, while large parts of Eritrea,
Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania are expected to receive normal to below-normal
rainfall.

"Areas that will require close monitoring include the northern Rift Valley,
southeastern districts in Kenya, sections of eastern Ethiopia and the Sool
Plateau in Somalia," FAO said.

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