Areas of food shortfalls persist due to fighting

Despite generally favourable growing conditions, areas of food shortfalls persist throughout the Great Lakes region due largely to hostilities in certain areas, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation said on Thursday in its latest "Foodcrops and Shortages" report. In Burundi, FAO said that harvesting of 2003 second-season food crops, mainly sorghum and beans, was well advanced. A good bean crop was anticipated in the main growing regions of Kirundo, Muyinga and Ruyigi, in the north and east of the country, where prices of beans have declined by about one-half with the arrival of the new harvest into the markets. However, in other regions, excessive rains and hail damaged the late-planted bean and sorghum crops in May, and by insufficient rains earlier in the season. FAO said that the provinces worst affected by localised crop losses were Kirundo, Muyinga, Karuzi, Cankuzo, Makamba, Mwaro, Kayanza and Muramvya. The agency said that food aid was being provided to populations affected by an escalation in civil conflict in April and May. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, FAO said that harvesting of the 2003 second-season food crops was underway in eastern and northeastern regions. However, favourable growing conditions notwithstanding, production was expected to be sharply reduced following the escalation of the civil war in these areas, mainly in Ituri District. In mid-June, FAO and the UN World Food Programme jointly approved an emergency operation to assist 483,000 of the most affected people in the northern and eastern parts of the country, including the internally displaced, returnees from neighbouring countries and other vulnerable groups. The operation, to last six months starting mid-June, would provide 32,236 mt of cereals and 9,934 mt of beans. In Rwanda, FAO said that harvesting of the 2003 second-season food crops, mainly sorghum and beans, was underway. A satisfactory harvest was anticipated following abundant rains in late April and May, which improved conditions for crops previously affected by erratic precipitation. Production of Irish potatoes and bananas was also expected to be normal. However, reduced crops have been harvested in the Bugesera region of Kigali Rural Province, where rains were insufficient and the food situation was likely to deteriorate in coming months. Localised crop losses are also reported in parts of Rukara District, in Umutara Province, northeastern Rwanda. In Tanzania, FAO warned that prolonged drought conditions in several parts of the country had affected a large number of households, with an estimated 1.9 million people in need of food assistance. [See IRIN story, "Government appeals for 45,000 mt of maize"] In Uganda, FAO reported that the humanitarian situation in northern and eastern parts of the country continued to worsen due to escalation of conflict. It said that recent fighting between government forces and rebels had displaced more than 820,000 people, bringing the total number in need of emergency assistance to more than 1.6 million people. Meanwhile, in the Central African Republic, FAO said the food security situation was still precarious, and that food production was not expected to increase this year due to reduced planting and seed shortages, following population displacement caused by an October 2002 to March 2003 rebellion. "Foodcrops and Shortages" is issued five times per year by FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture, with special attention to countries that face exceptional food shortages or where the prospects for current crops are unfavourable. If emergency interventions are underway, details of the total numbers of beneficiaries and emergency food aid requirements are also provided. [For the complete report]