The United Nations World Food Programme Monday urged donors
to give cash to enable humanitarian agencies to purchase food locally to assist millions of drought-affected people in Ethiopia.
Ethiopias recent harvest, in late 2003, is 40 percent up on the previous year, and almost 11 percent above the five year average. Though the country remains a net importer of cereals, there are localised surpluses in some of the regions that can be bought for food aid.
Some 300.000 to 350.000 tonnes of maize, wheat and sorghum are available for local purchase in 18 surplus producing zones,
according to a survey conducted by WFP, the European Commission and the Swedish International Development Agency, Sida.
These zones normally account for more than 70 percent of Ethiopias cereal production.
– If WFP and NGOs buy local cereal surpluses it will most certainly
benefit local farmers, said Georgia Shaver, WFP Country Director in Ethiopia. -Our proposal makes economic sense. Donors could save money if they support the purchase of food aid in the local market, added she.
The Ethiopian Government is appealing for around 900.000 tonnes of food for seven million people in 2004. Up to one third of this requirement could be covered through buying food in the country. Buying 300.000 tonnes of cereals in Ethiopia would cost donors 100 million dollar.
Advocating for the local purchase of cereals is in line with other WFP projects that aim to stimulate the local market. Such purchases of cereals and pulses will also play an important role in helping to stabilise prices.
Last year, 13 million Ethiopians needed food assistance. This year, despite the good harvest, seven million people remain unable to feed themselves for the entire year and require food aid to cover their food gap. These people cannot afford to buy food even if the surplus reaches markets in drought-affected areas.
Kilde: www.wfp.org
WFP is the worlds largest humanitarian agency. In 2003 WFP fed 110 million people in 82 countries including most of the worlds refugees and internally displaced people.
