Food security improving in Djibouti but prices still high

Recent rains in Djibouti have replenished pasture and water resources, improving the food security situation in some pastoral areas, the Food Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS Net) says in a September report.



The rains were three weeks late in July and relatively poor, but in general, replenished supplies. El Niño conditions are prevailing in the region and Djibouti can expect above-normal rains in late September, it adds.



Even then, the urban poor still continue to struggle with high prices of essential food and non-food items. The situation is compounded by annual school fees, especially in poor quarters of Djibouti City, such as sections of Balbala and PK 12.



According to the World Bank, Djibouti, a small country, is characterized by pervasive poverty and high inequality. All food is imported and the global rise in food prices had a disastrous effect on the welfare of the population, particularly the poorest.



In May, UNICEF expressed concern about the high levels of acute malnutrition, particularly in peri-urban areas around Djibouti City and in the northwest pastoral zone. Admissions to feeding centres rose from 7,302 to 18,417 children between December 2007 and December 2008.



eo/mw