Horn
8.8 million affected by food shortage on the Horn

afrol News, 10 April - Millions are affected by the current tight food supply in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, according to a new report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Ongoing and terminated conflicts and successive droughts have interferred with food production.

The Horn is one of the regions in Africa expected to face the most exceptional food emergencies in 2001, affecting some 8.8 million people. The crisis in food supply is most severe in Ethiopia, affecting an estimated 6.5 million people. Further, an estimated 1.8 million Eritreans and 500,000 Somalis are affected by shortages.

Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, despite the improved overall food availability, some 6.5 million people affected by successive droughts and war depend on food aid, according to the FAO report. While pastoralists in the southeastern part of the country have been the worst hit, the main crops have produced satisfactionally. 

The planting of the 2001 secondary "belg" season crops has commenced in several locations, reports FAO. Scattered showers fell in February but substantial rains were received in March. The "belg" crop accounts for around 8 to 10 percent of annual cereal and pulses production but in some areas it is the main harvest.

Harvesting of the main 2000 "meher" season crops was completed late last year. An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission in November/December found that the meher crop had recovered strongly from earlier expectations due to abundant rainfall which continued through October, benefiting late sown crops. 

However, livestock, particularly in the pastoralist areas, was devastated last year by a prolonged drought, which caused acute water and fodder shortages, exacerbated later by infectious diseases and parasites. The southern pastoralist areas of Somali, Borena, Bale and South Omo were worst hit and cattle losses at levels of up to 50 percent have been noted. Consequently, animal production among pastoralists and agro-pastoralists has been severely reduced and will take several years to recover. The late meher rains in 2000 however helped considerably in regenerating pasture and browse and recharging water points, FAO reports. 

The improved availability of cereals has resulted in falling grain prices in most markets. However, despite the good harvest, some 6.5 million people will require food assistance, the UN agency assesses. The food aid requirement, including displaced and refugee needs, for 2001 marketing year (January/December) is estimated at about 640,000 tonnes. 

In response, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) today launched a US$ 89.7 million emergency operation to feed 2.5 million small-scale farmers and drought affected pastoralists in Ethiopia. "The recovery process for people affected by poor harvest and drought will take several years," said Benedict Fultang. "In some regions of Ethiopia, impoverished rural communities still cannot afford to buy food even when markets are well supplied." 

Eritrea
The report says that the food supply situation is precarious for more than 1.8 million people in Eritrea, which were caught up in the war with neighbouring Ethiopia. Some are also suffering from the effects of last year's drought in some areas. 

The 2000 cereal crop was sharply reduced due to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of farmers from the agriculturally rich regions of Gash Barka and Debub, accounting for more than 70 percent of Eritrea's cereal production. The total cereal output is provisionally estimated at 71 000 tonnes, a decrease of 66 percent from the previous five year's average. Furthermore, prospects for the 2001 agricultural season, starting in the following few weeks, remains bleak with households unable to return to their farms, so far, and large tracts of land still inaccessible due to landmines. 

Cereal prices, which normally decline after harvest were generally increasing or remained unchanged in most market centres reflecting the poor harvest, according to FAO observations. In the light of ongoing humanitarian needs in Eritrea, due to the cumulative effects of conflict and drought, the Eritrean Refugee and Relief Commission (ERREC) have launched an appeal, on 22 February 2001, for US$ 224 million to assist nearly 2 million people for a period of twelve months (January-December). 

Somalia
Somalia has seen a satisfactory secondary season harvest, which was preceded by a favourable main harvest and this, says the report, "has improved the country's food outlook. Consequently, the number of people in need of food assistance has declined from 750,000 in 2000 to 500,000 this year. However, recent nutrition surveys indicate persisting high malnutrition rates, reflecting slow household recovery from a succession of droughts and long-term effects of years of insecurity." 

The output of the recently harvested secondary "deyr" season cereal crop, normally accounting for some 25-30 percent of annual cereal production, is forecast at 96 000 tonnes, significantly above the post-war average of 78 000 tonnes. Furthermore, the main "gu" season was an above average 224 000 tonnes. Latest estimates put the aggregate 2000/01 cereal production at 320 000 tonnes, about 31 percent above the previous year. 

The overall food supply situation in parts of southern Somalia has improved with better "gu" and "deyr" harvests. However, recent nutrition surveys indicate continued high malnutrition rates, reflecting slow household recovery from the succession of droughts and long-term effects of years of insecurity, FAO observed. Moreover, recent injections of new currency into the market with the attendant depreciation of the Somali Shilling have caused a sharp increase in prices of food items and essential goods.

Elsewhere, in north-western Somalia (Somaliland) and north-eastern Somalia (Puntland), pasture and livestock conditions remain stable. However, the ban of livestock imports from eastern Africa by countries along the Arabian Peninsula due to a Rift Valley fever has caused substantial loss of income and has threatened the livelihoods of a large number of pastoral households.

Sources: Based on FAO and WFP