FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 02/02 - ERITREA (1 February)
Harvesting of the 2001 cereal and pulse crops is complete. Expectations of a good cereal crop in 2001 were dampened by below-normal rains at flowering and seed setting stages. The Ministry of Agriculture is yet to release final production data for the 2001 harvest but recent estimates indicate a cereal output of between 150 000 to 200 000 tonnes. Even at this level, production is well above the previous year’s poor harvest. During 2001, WFP has distributed about 150 000 tonnes of food commodities to 1 million beneficiaries and expects to distribute about 130 000 tonnes to 800 000 people in 2002.
The overall food supply situation remains tight reflecting the displacement of farmers by the recent war with Ethiopia and lingering effects of drought. A UN Consolidated Inter- Agency Appeal for 2002 for US $120 million was launched in November 2001 and includes assistance for medium and long- term programmes, particularly those targeting the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Although the number of IDPs in camps is gradually declining (currently about 60 000), food assistance is also required for refugees returning from Sudan, demobilized soldiers, resettled IDPs in the TSZ and drought impacted people in the Sahel regions of the country.