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afrol News, 18 January - Despite an overall increase in food production, Sudan faces severe shortages in the southern and western parts of the country and will need help to feed about 2 million people in the coming year, according to information released by the UN today. About 155,000 tonnes of food assistance will be needed to ward off severe deficits that are anticipated for displaced populations in parts of southern Sudan, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said in a joint statement issued in Rome. Shortages were also expected in the western States of Darfur and Kordofan and Red Sea State, where dry spells and early cessation of rain have resulted in the third consecutive reduced crop, according to the agencies. An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission, which visited Sudan last fall, found that cereal production in 2001 was about 4.8 million tonnes, up 38 per cent from 2000 and 9 per cent above the average of the preceding five years. The agencies attributed the increase to Government encouragement and favourable weather in many regions. Although the availability of cereals in 2002 will be markedly improved, the Mission warned that the sharp fall in sorghum prices in major producing areas could result in financial ruin for farmers and substantial reductions in area planted next year. The 2001/2002 above average crop, coupled with carryover stocks and forecast commercial imports, consisting mainly of wheat, will result in an overall ample cereal supply in 2002. This will allow increased cereal consumption and building up of stocks, the agencies predict. - In response, prices of cereals in major producing areas of central and eastern parts of the country have declined sharply, the report states. In Gedaref, sorghum prices in November/December 2001 were substantially below their level a year ago and were declining. The decline in prices coupled with a sharp increase in gasoline prices has discouraged many farmers from harvesting standing crops in parts. With limited prospects for exports in 2002, mainly due to improved harvests in neighbouring countries, heavy supplies are expected to depress prices further. The government however intends to implement a floor price policy of market intervention and WFP has also made some local purchases for its programme food assistance in the country. - Food aid requirements should be procured locally to the extent possible, the UN agencies said. "Rapid intervention in moving grain from surplus to deficit accessible areas is vital to help vulnerable groups and to stabilize prices." Livestock in the north of the country are generally reported to be in good condition. However, poor rangeland productivity in some areas, particularly in parts of Kordofan and Darfur, is expected to result in severe feed shortages in the coming months, necessitating stock movements. - This is by no means unusual, FAO and WFP say, "but the situation is exacerbated this year by the very depressed prices of livestock resulting from the ban on livestock imports from the Horn of Africa, including Sudan, by countries in the Arabian Peninsula due to suspected Rift Valley Fever." Even within surplus zones in Sudan, "the inability of both urban and rural poor to access the available food means that food assistance will be required in 2002," the agencies conclude. Sources: Based on WFP/FAO
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