FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 04/01 - AFGHANISTAN* (27 March)
Prospects for the 2001 winter grains, for harvest in May/June, remain poor mainly due to adverse weather and persistent insecurity that resulted in yield losses and large population displacements.
The 2000 drought devastated crops and livestock across the country. Total cereal production was an estimated 1.82 million tonnes (with rice in paddy form), about 44 percent and 53 percent below the 1999 and 1998 crops respectively. An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission is planned to visit the country from end-April to assess overall food supply conditions and estimate cereal import requirements in 2001/02 (July/June), including food aid.
The food situation is tight for a large number of displaced people. In 2000, WFP distributed some 161 000 tonnes of food to 3.3 million worst affected people, compared to 82 631 tonnes in the previous year. An Emergency Operation was jointly approved in February 2001 by FAO and WFP for food assistance to 3.8 million drought affected people, worth US$76.6 million for a period of one year (April 2001/March 2002).
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