Dry spells and the poor distribution of rainfall in 2001 growing season resulted in a serious decline in the cereal production. Final production estimates by national statistical services is estimated at some 122 177 tonnes, 32 percent lower than the previous year and 27 percent lower than the average of the last five years. In addition, freak rain storms from 9-11 January caused the death of 120 000 cattle, sheep and goats; destruction of 25 percent of already harvested crops; and loss of lives and property. Prices of cereals have risen considerably on most markets while animal prices decreased steeply. The food crisis has been amplified by poor rainfall during the 2002 growing season, which led to the failure of most ‘dieri’ (rainfed) crop, creating the risk of a severe food crisis. On 1 September the Government declared a national disaster and appealed for emergency food aid.
A joint FAO/CILSS/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission which visited the country from 20 to 26 October, estimated 2002 aggregate cereal production at some 100 000 tonnes, about 40 percent less than the average for the previous five years and 18 percent below last year’s poor harvest. The ‘dieri’ crop, which represents more than 80 percent of planted areas or about 60 percent of total cereal production in a normal year, decreased by 80 percent to some 8 000 tonnes.
The mission estimated cereal import requirements for the marketing year 2002/03 (November/October) at 322 534 tonnes, of which wheat accounts for almost 200 000 tonnes. Taking into account an anticipated commercial cereal import of 228 000 tonnes and 11 000 tonnes of food aid pledges, the total uncovered cereal deficit for the year is about 95 000 tonnes. Approximately 400 000 people throughout Mauritania will require food assistance. Emergency provision of agricultural inputs such as seeds is recommended to enable disaster-affected farming families to restart agricultural production during the next main planting season starting in June 2003.
Evidence of malnutrition abounds in the form of exhaustion and loss of weight, night blindness, scurvy, dehydration and diarrhoea and hunger-related deaths.
In March 2002, WFP launched an Emergency Operation valued at US$ 7.5 million (16 230 tonnes of food) to assist 250 000 people most threatened by serious food shortages. By end September, due to a limited donor response, only 46 percent of WFP’s emergency food requirements have been covered. However, new pledges have been received in October. Other than WFP’s emergency assistance, bilateral contributions were received from France (600 tonnes of wheat through the French Red Cross), and Italy (approximately 920 tonnes rice). An EU-financed food security stock consisting of 6 000 tonnes of wheat is scheduled to arrive in October. In addition, the Government of Mauritania distributed 10 000 tonnes of wheat from its own resources.