Food situation better but emergency remains

In Kenya, the overall food supply situation has improved considerably following favourable short-rains harvests and improved pasture in several central and western pastoral districts, the FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) reported on Wednesday. However, most pastoral districts in the east and north had yet to recover, having received only scanty rainfall so far, it added. The Horn of Africa drought of 1999/2000 seriously affected Kenya, undermining the food security of an estimated 4.4 million people, particularly in pastoral areas. Parts of Eastern Province and most of Coast and lowland Central provinces had seen deteriorating crop conditions, particularly in the maize crop, which was affected by severe moisture stress, the FAO stated. “Initial forecasts for the maize crop of about 2.34 million mt may now be difficult to achieve,” it said. The food import requirement of almost 2.2 million mt for this year was 152 percent of the average annual requirement. Emergency food assistance would still be needed in Kenya, at least until the main season harvest towards the end of the year, the report added.

In Tanzania and Uganda, the overall food supply situation has improved following recent good harvests and improved pastures. However, food difficulties remain in parts of Uganda, mainly due to insecurity.

[for the full FAO report on “Food supply situation and crop prospects in Sub-Saharan Africa”, go to: http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/faoinfo/economic/giews/english/eaf/eaf0108/httoc.htm]