Livestock ban bites hard

In a joint report, the Food Security Assessment Unit (FSAU) and the USAID Famine Early Warning System said that continued low cereal prices in the main production areas of south Somalia had resulted in a shift to cash crops, and a reduction of staple crops under cultivation. In northern areas, favourable climatic conditions had greatly improved livestock health, conception rates and production in most areas of northern Somalia. But the exception was the Hawd of Togdheer, in the self-declared state of Somaliland, where "near destitute pastoral households experience a critical situation resulting from reduced income from livestock sales, poor rains and overgrazed pastures", said the joint December-January report. The report documents the impact to date of the Rift Valley Fever ban on livestock from Somalia imposed last year by the Arab States. There has been substantial loss of income at macro and household level, which had limited the purchase of many goods, including medicine, and had accelerated the depletion of assets. Market failure because of the livestock ban would "threaten livelihoods for many groups". FSAU monitors and nutritionists said there was particular concern for the urban poor and Internally Displaced Population (IDPs) in and around most towns in the north. Burao, in Somaliland, was marked out as of particular concern as it was a "heavily livestock dependent". Bosaso and Galkayo in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, northeast Somalia, were also of concern, the report said. However, the worst effects of the livestock ban on food security had been mitigated by "unusually good livestock production and reproduction", resulting in a high level of milk for consumption and sale. There had also been "unusually low local cereal prices" and Ethiopian relief wheat grain had "leaked into Somalia", the report said. (For the full December 2000-January 2001 FSAU/FEWS-NET report see www.unsomalia.org under 'Food Security'.)