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afrol News, 10 April - Sudan is facing serious food shortages in western and southern parts of the country this year due to drought and war, a new report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization says. "The long-running civil war is exacerbating the situation by impeding farming activities and distribution of relief assistance." Sudan is one of sixteen African countries expected to face exceptional food emergencies in 2001. While most of these countries are facing natural disasters or civil strife, the critical situation in Sudan relies on the two factors combined, alarming the UN agency. A Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission by FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP) which visited the country late last year estimated a well below-average coarse grain production following late rains and prolonged dry spells. "By contrast, prospects for the 2001 wheat crop, now being harvested, is promising. Total cereal production in 2000/01, estimated at 3.4 million tonnes, is about 20 percent below the previous five years' average," the mission concludes. Serious food shortages have emerged in several parts of the country due to the Lower harvests and depletion of stocks leading to a sharp rise in cereal prices. The population most affected by the current poor season are found mainly in Darfur, Kordofan, North Bahr el Ghazal, Bahr el Jebel, East Equatoria, Jonglei, Juba and Butana province in Gezira State. According to FAO's assessment, "about 600,000 of these people will be in dire need of urgent food assistance. In addition, some 2.4 million people affected by the ongoing civil strife in the south will need continued assistance." - With few resources left and coping mechanisms stretched to the limit, farmers and other vulnerable groups have already started to migrate in search of work and food, the UN agency reports. "Consumption of seed grains will reduce their productive capacity and ability to sustain themselves in the coming agricultural season. A timely and targeted intervention is essential to prevent further human suffering." The erratic rainfall also had a devastating effect on range vegetation, as well as on the availability of feed from grain and crop residues, especially in rainfed areas. The drastic fall in feed is expected to lead to widespread under-nutrition in livestock. Market supply of livestock has increased substantially, depressing prices and thus household incomes. A revised Emergency Operation was jointly approved in January 2001 by FAO and WFP for food assistance to 2.4 million people affected by war, drought and floods, worth an additional US$50.2 million for a period of 4 months. Two weeks ago, the WFP released its first warning that a "major food crisis" was looming in Sudan, saying that "as many as three million Sudanese were threatened by hunger because of drought and conflict and expressed alarm that the situation continued to worsen." As war and drought-induced hunger sweeps mercilessly across the country, WFP said it will run out of food by mid April. Already, food distribution in many parts has been scaled back to make existing supplies stretch. "Without new and substantial assistance from the international community, food supplies will run out and we will face a crisis of enormous proportions whose severity could be comparable to previous famine situations in the region," said Masood Hyder, WFP Representative in Sudan. - This year is different, Hyder added. "Parts of the country are experiencing the driest season in living memory, affecting 600,000 people. At the same time, 2.4 million people continue to urgently need assistance due to the ongoing civil war. If we do not receive urgent funding, there will be mass population movements, widespread malnutrition, and worse." The situation for the war affected, mainly women and children, is also disastrous. The humanitarian cease-fires have lapsed, the fighting continues and the food on which they rely in the dry season is about to run out. "Their needs must be met, otherwise they will die or join the other millions of war displaced in a futile search for food and security," Hyder said. Sources: Based on FAO and WFP
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