Food security gains “wiped out” by conflict, FAO warns

The food situation in the capital, Freetown, has become desperate and could “degenerate into famine” FAO warned yesterday. In a special alert issued from Rome, FAO said that recent gains in Freetown’s food security conditions had been “virtually wiped out” by the resurgence of conflict on 6 January. Food stocks are nearly depleted, supply routes are blocked and aid agency warehouses have been looted by rebels, FAO said. The precarious food supply situation in other parts of the country is also expected to worsen as a result of the disruption of food assistance activities previously organised from Freetown, FAO said in the statement. Insecurity and poor infrastructure will severely hamper the marketing of last month’s main rice crop, while continued fighting and insecurity would hinder agricultural rehabilitation activities planned for 1999, including seeds and tools distribution, FAO said. As a result, Sierra Leone this year will depend even more on food assistance to meet its basic needs, the alert added.