EMERGENCY FOOD AID SOUGHT FOR 1.75 MILLION PEOPLE IN WAR-RAVAGED AFGHANISTAN
Press Release
FAO/3645
WFP/1044
EMERGENCY FOOD AID SOUGHT FOR 1.75 MILLION PEOPLE IN WAR-RAVAGED AFGHANISTAN
19970812 ROME, 12 August (FAO) -- Despite what is expected to be its largest harvest in 18 years of civil strife, Afghanistan will need 170,000 tons of emergency food aid for some 1.75 million people in coming months, United Nations food agencies reported today.In a report on a joint-crop and food-supply assessment mission to Afghanistan, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) estimated 1997 cereal production at 3.66 million metric tons -- including 2.71 million tons of wheat, 0.4 million tons of rice, 0.3 million tons of maize and 0.25 million tons of barley.
This would be 18 per cent higher than the 1996 harvest of 3.10 million tons and the biggest since the outbreak of hostilities in 1978.
The agencies said that improved security in the southern part of the country, sufficient rains and relatively little pest damage favoured agricultural production, but cautioned that fighting in the north could disrupt harvesting.
"The eight northern provinces are forecast to produce 1.3 million tons of cereals from the current harvest, but if the intensify of military activities increases or the conflict widens over the next few months, harvesting could be interrupted, and a reduction from this forecast is possible", the report said.
Even if the favourable forecast proves true, Afghanistan will need to import some 710,000 tons of cereals, mainly for an urban population swollen by the return of refugees.
It estimated that Afghanistan will need 170,000 tons of emergency food aid, including 150,000 tons of cereals, for the 1997-1998 marketing year. The WFP is expected to supply 140,000 tons, and non-governmental organizations the remainder.
The aid will be distributed to the most vulnerable Afghans, including internally displaced persons, returnees, female-headed households, the sick and the elderly.
- 2 - Press Release FAO/3645 WFP/1044 12 August 1997
The report said that the distribution of food for work also should continue where women can participate on an equal basis with men. The food is used to support seed production, rehabilitation of agricultural infrastructure, agro-forestry, health care, education and training aimed at increasing self- sufficiency.
For further information, please contact Francis Mwanza, WFP/Rome, telephone: 396 6513-2623; or John Riddle, FAO/Rome, telephone: 396 5705-3259.
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