EL
NIÑO RAISES THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES WITH FOOD SUPPLY PROBLEMS TO
37
Although cereal production in developing countries in
1997 is estimated to have declined only slightly from the good level of
the previous year, the number of countries facing food emergencies has
increased to 37 compared to 31 towards the end of last year, mainly due
to the effects of El Niño.
In Africa, food supply difficulties have been caused
mainly by alternating droughts and floods in most of eastern Africa, where
there have been substantial losses of crops and livestock. In Somalia,
torrential rains associated with El Niño in the second half of October
caused serious floods and resulted in loss of life and damage to food production
systems. This disastrous situation followed a succession of poor harvests
that has already seriously affected the country’s food security. In Kenya,
heavy rains associated with El Niño in the two first dekads of January,
which followed two months of persistent rains, resulted in severe damage
to housing and infrastructure and left many villages isolated by floods.
The Government has appealed for international assistance for the flood-affected
areas. An outbreak of Rift Valley Fever since October has reportedly spread
from livestock to humans and has resulted in human deaths and substantial
animal losses. In Uganda, torrential rains from mid-November, mainly
in eastern parts, resulted in floods, loss of life, damage to housing and
infrastructure and localized crop losses. In Tanzania, torrential
rains in the first half of January, associated with the El Niño
phenomenon, resulted in widespread floods, damage to infrastructure and
isolation of several areas of the country. The heavy rains also resulted
in localized losses of crops. In Ethiopia, production was affected
by erratic rains during the growing season, unexpected heavy rains at harvest
time and lower use of fertilizers. In Burundi, persistent insecurity
throughout the country, a significant delay in the start of the rainy season
in most parts and heavy rains and floods in areas have negatively affected
food production during the current season. In Rwanda, crop yields
were affected by a delay of one month in the start of the rainy season
and by localized weather problems. Civil strife in the northwest of the
country continues to disrupt farming activities. In western Africa,
while the food supply situation is generally satisfactory, food production
in Liberia is still below pre-civil strife levels despite recent
gains due to relative peace and stability. In Sierra Leone, insecurity
still prevails in various parts of the country, notably in the east and
south-east. While, agricultural output in 1997 is estimated to be some
20 percent higher than last year, many areas have been adversely affected
by population displacements. In several Sahelian countries, some areas
gathered poor harvests and external assistance is needed to assist the
affected population. In southern Africa, conditions have so far
been favourable for crops in most parts of the subregion, despite fears
of a possible El-Niño-induced drought. However, in Angola,
agricultural activities and the food supply situation continue to be hampered
by security problems in several parts of the country. In Mozambique,
a few areas of concern include the western provinces of Tete and Manica,
where dry spells in November and December may have affected early planted
crops in some districts.
In Asia, a severe drought in Korea, D.P.R.
last summer, coupled with a destructive typhoon, both occurring after two
successive years of floods, resulted in a most desperate food situation.
Elsewhere, food supply problems persist in Mongolia, particularly
for vulnerable sections of the population. In Iraq, despite the
easing of the food supply situation following the implementation of the
oil-for-food deal, malnutrition remains a serious problem throughout the
country. Elsewhere in Asia, El Niño-related droughts have affected
cereal production in Indonesia, China, the Philippines,
and Thailand as well as Papua New Guinea in the Pacific Rim.
In Central America, emergency food problems are
being experienced in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,
Nicaragua and Panama, where first season cereal crops were
severely affected by an El Niño associated dry spell and second
season crops failed to ease the situation due to the persistence of adverse
weather. In the Caribbean, the food supply situation remains tight
in Haiti, reflecting substantially reduced main season cereal output
caused by a prolonged drought, while in the Dominican Republic torrential
rains in the west and northwest have seriously affected many crops which
are significant for the food security of the area.
In the CIS, vulnerable populations including the
internally displaced, refugees and the elderly in Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Georgia, and particularly Tajikistan, continue to need targetted
food aid. |