23 African countries need help

2005-03-01 09:16

Rome - Thirty-six countries worldwide face serious food shortages due mainly to conflicts and bad weather, and need external assistance, the Food and Agriculture Organisation said in a report on Monday.

Eleven others face unfavourable prospects for their current crops, the United Nations agency said.

"The causes are varied, but civil strife and adverse weather predominate," it said.

The highest number of countries facing food emergencies continues to be in Africa, where 23 countries need food assistance.

The report warned that the food situation in Eritrea was of "serious concern" saying "successive years of inadequate rains have seriously undermined crop and livestock production."

Acute malnutrition

In Sudan, the UN agency estimated that the harvest would be below average due to conflict and drought. By contrast, the food situation in neighbouring Ethiopia has improved, partly as a result of a good weather.

Kenya's poor second season maize crop will exacerbate food shortages in parts of the country, while Somalia's good secondary harvest will improve food supplies in main agricultural areas, the report said.

Other countries where the situation was in part critical were Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mauritania.

In the case of Ivory Coast "insecurity continues to disrupt agricultural and marketing activities", said the report.

In Asia, the deadly earthquake and Indian Ocean tsunamis of December 26 "destroyed livelihoods of millions of people in several countries.

"The worst affected include Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, India and Thailand," said the report.

More than 1.3 million people had received food assistance and relief operations had "entered the recovery and reconstruction phase."

According to the report, the fisheries sector was hardest hit, but crop and livestock losses were also severe in some parts.

The reports said that North Korea still needed international assistance to meet its minimum food needs despite recent gains in food production.

In Iraq, the agency said that recent precipitation was expected to have a favourable impact on winter crops, for harvest from May.

But according to a study conducted by the health ministry, acute malnutrition among children younger than five years of age increased to 7.7% this year compared to four percent two years ago. - AFP

- SAPA