Slight relief but food shortages remain serious

While the recent harvest provided some relief for communities in the south of Madagascar, food shortages remain acute, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Monday. "Ironically, heavy rains caused by the recent series of cyclones meant that ... farmers produced some sweet potato and cassava. But the rains were insufficient for any maize to grow. The food situation in the south remains extremely precarious," Annemarie Isler, WFP spokeswoman for Madagascar told IRIN. As a result of insufficient donor support, WFP last month extended its emergency appeal for food aid to Madagascar until the end of 2003. WFP estimates that 270,000 people will require food aid from September to December in 18 districts in the south. "The current figure of people in need reflects the most vulnerable within the drought-affected communities. There are many others who are in need of assistance," Isler said. Desperate villagers continued to hawk their personal belonging in markets to obtain cash with which to buy food. "There has been a slight improvement and one does not see as many personal assets on sale in the market. But in some cases families are still selling their personal assets to earn money," Isler said. Currently, 700 mt of government rice is expected to be sold on the local market at a subsidised price. Meanwhile, the results of a vulnerability assessment conducted by the European Union Early Warning System are expected to be released on 31 July.