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The overall food situation has improved significantly in 1999. Food supplies in urban markets are relatively stable and in general, prices are lower than in 1998, GIEWS reported.
Agricultural production increased in Bong, Bomi, Montserrado and Nimba counties but remained depressed in Maryland, Sinoe and Grand Kru due to poor roads making access to farms difficult. With the exception of Lofa County, relative peace in most areas has had a positive effect on farming. Rice harvested for the 1999 agricultural season is expected to reach around 80 percent of the pre-civil war level and cassava is expected to
recover to normal levels.
In Lofa County, where fighting broke out in August, most of the estimated 25,000 displaced people are farmers who have been unable to harvest their crops. Humanitarian programmes for Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees were also disrupted by insecurity and looting in Lofa County, where the
nutritional and health conditions of displaced people have reportedly deteriorated, GIEWS said.
It is estimated, the report said, that some 500,000 refugees, IDPs and returnees are in Liberia including some 90,000 refugees from Sierra Leone. Liberia continues to rely heavily on food aid.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions