ERITREA: Poor food security situation

NAIROBI, 31 August (IRIN) - The USAID Famine Early Warning System (FEWS) has reported that Eritrea's national grain reserve is empty and currently has only small operating stocks. In its latest report on Wednesday, it said the summer rains, between June and July, had been well below average. "Some long-cycle crops such as maize and finger millet were subjected to water stress due to excessive heat in May and June.

This year's overall sown area is considerably reduced compared to that of last year due to the Ethiopian occupation of parts of Gash Barka and Debub, the major crop growing areas of Eritrea," the report said. "There has been disruption in cultivation in both zones and many of the inhabitants have been displaced."

The Eritrean Relief and Refugee Commission (ERREC) has issued an emergency appeal for US $183 million to cover assistance for 1.6 million people affected by war and drought. Between 80 and 90 percent of these are women, children and the elderly. The Italian government has pledged to contribute US $20 million towards the ERREC appeal.

The US government has pledged 50,000 mt of emergency food aid. The UN Country Team has released an appeal for emergency humanitarian assistance worth US $87 million. Currently 33 NGOs, six UN agencies, the EU and three bilateral agencies are operating in Eritrea. It also said a new Information and Coordination Center, jointly managed by ERREC and the UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator, has been established to coordinate and disseminate information on humanitarian activities in Eritrea.

For the full report, see: FEWS Eritrea Food Security Update - June 2000 on the ReliefWeb Site