Nationwide food deficit likely

Mauritania is likely to experience a nationwide grain deficit of more than 160,000 mt this year, especially in the southwestern regions of Trarza, Brakna and Gorgol, which were hardest hit by winter rains in January, the Food Early Warning System (FEWS) reported on Friday. "The situation in Trarza and Brakna regions and, to a lesser extent, in Gorgol, Assaba, and Tagant regions, has deteriorated as far as food supplies are concerned," FEWS said in its December - January update. "This year's lean period is certain to begin earlier than expected." The untimely, heavy rains caused the death of livestock, including 32,346 goats and sheep in Trarza, 45,000 in Brakna and 6,000 in Gorgol. Also lost were 13,385 cattle and about 1,000 camels. "Many families lost homes, property, crops and animals, and even their tools and equipment," FEWS said. "And poor crop yields in neighbouring areas of Mali and Senegal have severely limited the options for riparian communities in these areas, who are falling back on imported wheat and rice. There is every indication that the situation in these areas will only get worse, as needed emergency assistance is slow in coming." "The 9 to 11 January rains and accompanying cold wave abruptly changed crop production and food security prospects. Heavy losses of irrigated rice, vegetable crops, walo (flood recession) crops, and lowland crops are taking their toll on the farm population". "The nationwide grain deficit for 2001/02 is in excess of 165,298 MT, requiring either stepped-up imports or the development of production systems in affected areas enabling local farmers and herders to manage until the next harvest period," FEWS reported. Prices of traditional grains on most markets around the country have already "climbed to levels that the country has not seen for more than 30 years", mainly due to the tightening of domestic grain supplies. Actual production figures fell short of projections by the Ministry of Rural Development and Environment, both because of mediocre yields and because less land was cultivated, it added.