ERITREA*(15 October)
Harvesting of the 2004 cereal and pulse crops is about to start. Prospects are unfavourable following erratic and inadequate rainfall. The main season “keremti” rains which normally occur between June and September were below the long-term average in most parts of the country. Most parts of Maekel, Gash Barka, Anseba, and eastern parts of Debub zones have particularly received poor rains. Preliminary crop estimates by the Ministry of Agriculture indicate a cereal output of about 109 000 tonnes, almost similar to last year’s well below average crop. In Debub and Maekel zones, planting of late season crops (chick pea and vetch) was also constrained partly due to high market prices that have made seeds inaccessible to many. Pasture and forage availability was unsatisfactory in most parts of the country, due to the inadequate rains.
The food supply situation remains tight as a result of consecutive poor harvests and lingering effects of war with neighbouring Ethiopia compounded by serious macro-economic imbalances. High cereal prices continue to impact on purchasing power and the food security of large numbers of people. According to a recent Ministry of Health (MoH) nutrition survey the prevalence of acute malnutrition in the lowland areas of the surveyed zones was found to be very high and had increased significantly since the December 2003 surveys. This was especially true in Gash Barka and Anseba zones where prevalence of Global Acute Malnutrition rates was 19.1 and 18.4 respectively placing them both above the World Health Organization's (WHO) critical cut off point of 15 percent. An Emergency Operation was jointly approved in July 2004 by FAO and WFP for food assistance to about 600 000 people affected by crop failure, worth a total sum of US$49 million for a period of 9 months (July 2004 to March 2005).
An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission is planned to visit the country from mid-November to assess the main season production and estimate food assistance requirements in 2005. The Government currently estimates food aid needs at approximately 500 000 tonnes.