Warning of difficult humanitarian situation next year

A food security watchdog has warned of a difficult humanitarian situation in Eritrea next year due to the lingering effects of the devastating drought which gripped the country for much of this year. In its latest report, the US government's Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) noted that only just over half the food aid requirement for 2003 had been pledged. Furthermore deliveries had been slow. "Slow deliveries have made it very difficult to intervene adequately in time," the report pointed out. It added that access to sufficient water remained the most pressing non-food need affecting most of Eritrea's rural population. "While average crop production in 2003 represents a significant improvement over production last year, Eritrea's recovery is incomplete," the report said. "The country may face yet another difficult humanitarian situation next year." "Follow-up assessments need to be carried out at the end of the season to further evaluate the food security situation and identify food and non-food needs based on the performance of the kremti [spring] and bahri [winter] rains," it said.