FAOs Global Information and Early Warning System has just issued the October 2005 issue of Food Crops and Shortages.
Foodcrops and Shortages is a regional and country-by-country forecast of foodcrop harvests and expected food shortages for the near-term.
Highlights from this issue include:
ASIA/NEAR EAST:
The recent earthquake in South Asia caused more than 50.000 deaths and destroyed homes and livelihoods of millions of people in Pakistan and India. In areas hit by the tsunami nine months ago, most of the displaced people are still depending on food aid. Recovery and reconstruction activities continue.
In North Korea, an expected good harvest will ease the countrys need for food aid. Crop and food security prospects are poor in Laos, Nepal, and Timor-Leste due to bad weather. Cereal harvesting in Asian CIS countries (tidl. Sovjet-republikker) is complete and production is slightly up on last years average level, owing mainly to favourable weather conditions. In Afghanistan, a bumper crop has been harvested.
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN:
In Guatemala, preliminary assessment of the damage caused by Hurricane Stan indicates that most families in the departments of San Marcos, Sololá, Huehuetenango and Quetzaltenango have not only lost most of their crops but also 40-60 percent of their land due to mudslides.
In Haiti and Cuba, crop production has been seriously affected by dry weather followed by excessive rains due to hurricanes. In Ecuador and parts of Bolivia, dry weather conditions have adversely affected food crop and livestock production.
AFRICA:
In eastern Africa, despite improved outlook for current season crops in several countries, more than 18 million people are in need of food assistance. In western Africa, notwithstanding improved harvest prospects generally in the Sahel, the food security situation is still of concern notably in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
In Southern Africa, food insecurity is worsening for an estimated 12 million people due to reduced harvests in 2005, escalating food prices and rising energy costs.
Prospects for 2006 main season crops are unfavourable in Zimbabwe, whatever the rainfall situation, due to the looming serious shortages of agricultural inputs. In Malawi, a “state of disaster” was declared by the Government due to the worsening food shortages.
Kilde: www.fao.org
