Food production expected to drop in countries at war

Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia expect to record a decline in food production this year due to ongoing conflict and poor rains, but the other West African countries along the Gulf of Guinea expect higher production, the Food and Agriculture Organisation said. In a preliminary forecast of food production for 2003, the FAO Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS), said West African coastal countries had showed mixed prospects in this year's cereal harvest. Production in Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia, the GIEWS report said, had decreased for the second year in a row. "The civil war [in Cote d'Ivoire] that began in September 2002 has induced the displacement of more than one million people. The food insecurity situation remains critical, especially in the west and north, which are controlled by rebel forces." "In addition, since May 2003 less rain than average has fallen, which could have consequences for the development of maize in the south and millet and sorghum in the north," the report said. "Under normal conditions a significant amount of cereal is commercially traded among Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso and the Niger, but the war has seriously perturbed both domestic and international market activities," GIEWS said. Cote d'Ivoire sunk into war following an abortive coup in 2002. Rebels seized control of the north and western parts of the country and have since remained in control there, defying demands by the government that they give up the rebellion. In Liberia, the GIEWS report said, rice production decreased because war had resulted in massive population displacements and reduced access to most farming areas. "The current cropping season has been seriously disrupted by armed conflict, which will most likely cause a drop in rice production again this year," it said. "GIEWS anticipates another food production decrease of 20 percent for this year." Liberia has been at war for 14 years, but experienced a change of government in August when Charles Taylor was forced to resign by international pressure. He departed for exile on 11 August, paving way for a two-year transitional government. But skirmishes have continued in the countryside. GIEWS said several West African countries experienced less rainfall than average, leading to mixed prospects. These included Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone. "Crop prospects everywhere are predicted to be close to or higher than average levels except in Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia, where production will be negatively affected by civil strife," the GIEWS report said. Benin, it said expects a higher than average production while Cameroon showed favourable prospects reflecting widespread and abundant rainfall. Guinea, Nigeria and Togo too expect favourable harvest prospects this year, it added.