Two million reported in need of food aid

Despite forecasts of an overall increase in food production this year, severe food deficits are anticipated in parts of southern Sudan, mainly due to population displacements, and in parts of Darfur, Kordofan and Red Sea States, according to the United Nations. In total, some 155,000 mt of food aid would be required to assist about 2 million displaced, drought-affected or otherwise vulnerable people, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Thursday. In March 2001, estimates were that as many as three million Sudanese were threatened by hunger as a result of the combined effect of drought and civil war. Cereal production in the 2001-'02 marketing year (November to October) was forecast at 4.8 million mt, 38 percent up on the previous year and 9 percent above the average of the preceding five years, the agencies reported. The availability of cereals would be "markedly improved" this year, but a sharp fall in the price of sorghum - a staple crop in many parts of Sudan - in major producing areas could result in financial ruin for farmers and substantial reductions in the area planted next year, they said. Full FAO/WFP report available at www.fao.org/WAICENT/faoinfo/economic/giews/english/alertes/sptoc.htm In the northern sector, "farmers increased their plantings due to favourable weather, relatively high cereal prices at planting, and in response to government inducement to cultivate more cereal crops," the report stated. In the southern sector, violent conflict and insecurity continued to hamper agricultural activities but rainfall had been generally good and crop production had improved, it said. The harvest had been particularly good in Western Equatoria, it added. The 4.81 million mt cereal crop forecast for 2001-'02 comprised some 3.77 million mt of sorghum, 579,000 mt of millet, 315,000 mt of wheat and about 146,000 mt of other cereals. But while the overall crop production situation is favourable, the national picture masks serious deficits at regional and local levels. Several zones in southern Sudan will be in serious deficit this year, "mainly due to population displacement and insecurity," they said. Among the zones likely to suffer deficits were Kapoeta and Torit in Eastern Equatoria; Aweil West and East, Gogrial, Twic/Abyei and Tonj in northern Bahr al-Ghazal; Raga in western Bahr al-Ghazal; and Jonglei and Unity (or Western Upper Nile). In addition, predicted cereal surpluses in Western Equatoria, Lakes region and Upper Nile state would be unavailable in deficit areas due to market weaknesses and the absence or breakdown of normal trade routes and infrastructure. Even within surplus areas, "the inability of both urban and rural poor to access the available food means that food assistance will be required in 2002," they added. In the northern sector, parts of Northern and Western Kordofan, and Northern and Southern Darfur, in the west of the country, as well as areas of Red Sea State in the east, would have a third consecutive year of poor harvests due to erratic weather, the FAO/WFP report stated. High prices had eroded the already limited purchasing power of the population (especially poorer people) and large segments would depend on food assistance, they said. Food assistance estimated at 78,000 mt would be needed for the drought-affected Kordofan, Darfur and Red Sea states, with some 52,000 mt more required for those areas of southern Sudan where conflict was the main cause of food insecurity, according to the food and crop assessment. In addition, food aid needs in both government- and rebel-held areas of the Nuba Mountains region of Southern Kordofan, south-central Sudan, are expected to amount to about 25,000 mt. Sudan's food aid requirements this year should be procured locally to the extent possible, according to the FAO/WFP report. It was "particularly important to facilitate the timely purchase and transfer of grains from surplus to deficit areas" in order to support both producers and consumers, and to stabilise prices, they added.