ERITREAN MAIN CROP SEASON DROUGHT - DIFFICULT TIMES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 004756 SIPDIS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 04756 01 OF 03 020545Z FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME AMEMBASSY ASMARA FOR AMBASSADOR MCCONNEL AND USAID DIRECTOR CHEEMA USDA/FAS NAIROBI FOR FRED KESSEL STATE FOR ACTING A/S IO, A/S PRM DEWEY, AF AND EA USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN AND RTILSWORTH USAID FOR A/USAID NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER AND D/FFP LANDIS NSC FOR JDWORKEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN SUBJECT: ERITREAN MAIN CROP SEASON DROUGHT - DIFFICULT TIMES AHEAD REF: (A) ASMARA 1290 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. USMISSION/ROME HUMANITARIAN ATTACHE VISITED ERITREA SEPTEMBER 20-26, AND TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY IN DROUGHT AFFECTED REGIONS. PROSPECTS FOR THE CURRENT MAIN "KIREMTI" HARVEST CROPS AND REGENERATION OF PASTURES ARE POOR FOLLOWING SEVERE AND PROLONGED DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN THE COUNTRY'S MOST GRAIN PRODUCTIVE AREAS. WIDESPREAD DROUGHT WILL EXACERBATE A FOOD SUPPLY SITUATION ALREADY STRESSED BY DISPLACEMENT OF WAR-AFFECTED POPULATIONS, THE INFLUX OF DEPORTEES FROM ETHIOPIA, AND THE CONTINUING REPATRIATION OF REFUGEES FROM SUDAN. END SUMMARY. -------------- UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 04756 01 OF 03 020545Z BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. USMISSION/ROME HUMANITARIAN ATTACHE TIM LAVELLE VISITED ERITREA SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2002, AND TRAVELED WITH THE ERITREAN RELIEF AND REFUGEE COMMISSION'S (ERREC) DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR RELIEF AND LOGISTICS IBRAHIM SAID, WORLD FOOD PROGRAM COUNTRY DIRECTOR PATRICK BUCKLEY (IRISH CITIZEN) AND STAFF (THE TRIP'S ABLE FACILITATOR) AND UNHCR FIELD OFFICERS THOUGHOUT THE FOLLOWING REGIONS: ANSEBA, GASH BARCA AND DEDUB. THE TEAM LOGGED 1,067 KILOMETERS BY ROAD OVER FOUR DAYS, IN ORDER TO ACCESS FIRST HAND THE PRESENT DROUGHT SITUATION. ¶3. IN GENERAL, ERITREA SUFFERS FROM CHRONIC FOOD SHORTAGES. IN GOOD YEARS, THE COUNTRY PRODUCES ONLY ABOUT 80 PERCENT OF ITS TOTAL FOOD NEEDS AND IN POORER YEARS NO MORE THAN 50 PERCENT. INSOFAR AS MOST FARMERS IN ERITREA PRACTICE RAINFED AGRICULTURE, FARMERS ARE CONSISTENTLY FACED WITH ANNUAL FLUCTUATIONS IN BOTH OUTPUT AND PRICES. EVEN IN GOOD YEARS, MOST SMALL FARMERS DO NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH FOOD TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES FOR MORE THAN SIX-NINE MONTHS. THIS MEANS THAT FARM FAMILIES NEED ACCESS TO NON-FARM INCOME OR TO FOOD AID TO SUBSIST. ¶4. AS A RESULT OF PERIODIC FOOD SHORTAGES, CHILD MALNUTRITION IS HIGH. ABOUT 38 PERCENT OF CHILDREN UNDER FIVE ARE STUNTED (LOW HEIGHT FOR AGE),16 PERCENT ARE WASTED (LOW WEIGHT FOR AGE),AND 44 PERCENT OF CHILDREN ARE UNDERWEIGHT. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 04756 01 OF 03 020545Z ¶5. AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN RURAL AREAS IS GENERALLY CHARACTERIZED BY LOW PRODUCTIVITY. GIVEN THE LACK OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES AND CREDIT, POOR FARM-TO- MARKET ROADS, ETC., THERE IS LITTLE LIKELIHOOD THAT THIS SITUATION IS GOING TO AMELIORATE IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. THE FAO OPINES THAT "THE GREEN REVOLUTION HAS BYPASSED ERITREA." ¶6. AS A MATTER OF GOVERNMENT POLICY, INTERNATIONAL NGOS ARE RELEGATED LARGELY TO NON-IMPLEMENTATIVE ROLES. GIVEN THE DEARTH OF TECHNICALLY QUALIFIED ERITREANS BOTH WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL NGO SECTOR, PROJECT DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION CAN BE A SLOW PROCESS. -------------- WHERE WE ARE AT PRESENT -------------- ¶7. POOR RAINS THIS YEAR HAVE DISRUPTED THE TWO PLANTING SEASONS AND THE SITUATION HAS BEEN FURTHER AGGRAVATED BY ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE REGENERATION OF ESSENTIAL PASTURELANDS AND GROUND-WATER SUPPLIES. AN ESTIMATED ONE MILLION ERITREANS, 80-90 PERCENT OF WHOM ARE LIVING IN RURAL AREAS, ARE EXPECTED TO BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE 2002 DROUGHTS. IN ADDITION TO INSUFFICIENT RAINFALL, OTHER UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTO5335 PAGE 01 ROME 04756 02 OF 03 020545Z ACTION IO-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 EVG-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 CTME-00 INL-00 USNW-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 E-00 UTED-00 FDRE-01 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 M-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 OMB-01 IRM-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 ECA-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /006W -------------- F0196F 020731Z /38 P 020513Z OCT 02 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO AMEMBASSY ASMARA PRIORITY SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6105 USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 2309 INFO AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE AMEMBASSY OTTAWA USEU BRUSSELS 2834 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION GENEVA UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 04756 02 OF 03 020545Z UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 004756 SIPDIS FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME AMEMBASSY ASMARA FOR AMBASSADOR MCCONNEL AND USAID DIRECTOR CHEEMA USDA/FAS NAIROBI FOR FRED KESSEL STATE FOR ACTING A/S IO, A/S PRM DEWEY, AF AND EA USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN AND RTILSWORTH USAID FOR A/USAID NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER AND D/FFP LANDIS NSC FOR JDWORKEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN SUBJECT: ERITREAN MAIN CROP SEASON DROUGHT - DIFFICULT TIMES AHEAD FACTORS INCLUDE THE LACK OF DRAUGHT ANIMALS, PESTS, GROWING WEED INFESTATION AND A REDUCED WORKFORCE WITH A GOODLY NUMBER OF ABLE-BODIED 18-40 YEAR OLDS WHO ARQNLISTED INTO NATIONAL SERVICE. ¶8. WHILE THE FINAL 2002 "KIREMTI" PRODUCTION TALLY WILL NOT BE KNOWN FOR ANOTHER ONE-TWO MONTHS, AN APPROXIMATE BREAKDOWN OF THE NEED FOR 2003 IS PRESENTED AS FOLLOWS: -DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION - 537,000 METRIC TONS (MTS) -DOMESTIC PRODUCTION - 100,000 MTS (90,000 MTS GRAINS) -GSE CARRYOVER STOCKS - 50,000 MTS -U.S. TITLE I 2002 - 54,000 MTS (WILL BE USED IN 2003) -WFP PRRO DONATION - 60,000 MTS (SOLICITED FOR 2003) -GSE COMMERCIAL IMPORTS 80,000 MTS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 04756 02 OF 03 020545Z -PRIVATE SECTOR IMPORTS 10,000 MTS -INFORMAL CROSS-BORDER 80,000 MTS (FROM/THROUGH SUDAN) -NGO FOOD DONATIONS - 17,000 MTS (SOLICITED FOR 2003) -BUFFER STOCK NEEDS - 60,000 MTS FOOD AID REQUIREMENT - 150,000 MTS (ESTIMATE/END SEPTEMBER) ¶9. NOTE: THIS ESTIMATE IS LOWER THAN THE LATEST GOE'S APPEAL REQUEST (RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 2) ASKING FOR 400,000 MTS OF GRAIN. WFP IS ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF LAUNCHING AN EMERGENCY APPEAL (EMOP) FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2003 FOR 140,400 MTS OF FOOD ASSISTANCE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF 600,000 DROUGHT-AFFECTED VULNERABLE PERSONS. END NOTE. -------------- OTHER FACTORS -------------- ¶10. THE GOVERNMENT OF DENMARK ANNOUNCED IN JANUARY 2002 A RADICAL DOWNSIZING IN ITS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE TO ERITREA (TO BE TERMINATED FULLY IN 2005). THIS HAS SUBSTANTIVELY IMPACTED ON THE 2002-OPERATING BUDGET OF THE GOVERNMENT'S (GSE) MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE. MOREOVER, ERITREA CONTINUES TO DEAL WITH APPROXIMATELY 60,000 INTERNALLY DISPLACED (LIVING IN MAKESHIFT CAMPS) AND RESETTLING SOME 100,000 REPATRIATED RETURNEES. FINALLY, WHILE THE HIV PREVALENCE RATE IS PRESENTLY ESTIMATED TO BE LESS THAN 3 PERCENT AMONG ADULTS, THERE IS CONCERN THAT HIV/AIDS AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS NEED TO BE INTENSIFIED PARTICULARLY FOR NATIONAL SERVICE PERSONNEL IN ORDER TO PREVENT FUTURE ECONOMIC IMPACT. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 04756 02 OF 03 020545Z -------------- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS -------------- ¶11. FOOD TONNAGE AND BENEFICIARY NUMBERS WILL NEED TO BE FURTHER REFINED BY A FINAL CROP ASSESSMENT IN OCTOBER (AFTER THE RAINS STOP). RATHER THAN WAITING FOR THE FINAL CROP ASSESSMENT MISSION REPORT, HOWEVER, DONORS SHOULD RESPOND WITH AN IMMEDIATE PLEDGING AND DISPATCH OF ADEQUATE QUANTITIES OF FOOD AID, TO ARRIVE BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE "HUNGRY SEASON" IN FEBRUARY 2003. ¶12. ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL NUTRITION SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM IN COLLABORATION WITH WFP AND ITS UN AGENCY PARTNERS IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED. THIS WILL BE A VITAL STEP IN DETERMINING THE INCIDENCE, GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION, AND EXTENT OF CHRONIC AND SEASONAL MALNUTRITION, INCLUDING VULNERABILITY PROFILES BY GENDER, BACKGROUND AND AGE. ¶13. DONORS ARE ENCOURAGED TO WORK WITH THE GSE ON IMPROVING THE NATIONAL CAPACITY TO COMMERCIALLY IMPORT FOOD ON TIME TO WHERE IT IS NEEDED. ¶14. ERITREA NEEDS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO ENHANCE ITS CAPACITY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE DROUGHT "CLIMATOLOGY" OF THE COUNTRY AND STRENGTHEN ITS ABILITY TO MANAGE DROUGHT RISKS. ¶15. ERITREAN FARMERS HAVE WELL-ESTABLISHED AND STRONG UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ8232 PAGE 01 ROME 04756 03 OF 03 020547Z ACTION IO-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 CTME-00 WHA-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 E-00 UTED-00 FDRE-01 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 M-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 OMB-01 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 ECA-00 PRM-00 SAS-00 /005W -------------- F02392 020905Z /38 P 020513Z OCT 02 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO AMEMBASSY SMARA PRIORITY SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORIY 6106 USDA FAS WASHDC PRIORITY 2310 INO RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI AMEMBASSY DDIS ABABA AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI EU MEBER STATES COLLECTIVE AMEMBSSY OTTAWA USEU BRUSSELS 2835 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USMISSION ENEVA UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 04756 03 OF 03 020547Z UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 004756 SIPDIS FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME AMEMBASSY ASMARAFOR AMBASSADOR MCCONNEL AND USAID DIRECTOR CHEEM USDA/FAS NAIROBI FOR FRED KESSEL STATE FOR ACING A/S IO, A/S PRM DEWEY, AF AND EA USDA/FAS FO U/S PENN AND RTILSWORTH USAID FOR A/USAID NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER AND D/FFP LANDIS NSC FOR JDWORKN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR AORC PREF EAGR EU WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN EU EAID WFP UN SUBJECT: ERITREAN MAIN CROP EASON DROUGHT - DIFFICULT TIMES AHEAD TRADITINAL COPING MECHANISMS. THIS YEAR'S POOR MAIN SEASON HARVEST WILL SORELY TEST THE SYSTEM AS THE YIELD ANTICIPATED WILL ONLY PROVIDE FARM FAMILIES WIT A TWO-FOUR MONTH FOOD SUPPLY UNTIL NEXT FALL'S ARVEST. PASTURAGE AND DRINKING WATER FOR ANIMALSWILL BE IN CRITICALLY SHORT SUPPLY FROM FEBRUARY 2003 ONWARDS. FAO IS ADVISED TO INTENSIFY ITS INVLVEMENT IN APPROPRIATE FODDER CULTIVATION. ¶16. N THE MEDIUM-TERM, TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURAL PRODUTIVITY, FAO RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING "QUICK WIN" INTERVENTIONS: (I) IMPROVED PEST CONTROL SYSTEMS, (II) EXPANDED SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS (III) INCREASED USE AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL, FST-MATURING AND DROUGHT-RESISTANT CROPS, (IV) REABILITATED, IMPROVED AND UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 04756 03 OF 03 020547Z EXPANDED IRRIGATION SCHMES, (V) GREATER ACCESS TO SUSTAINABLE RURAL CREDIT SERVICES, (VI) MORE EFFECTIVE DISTRIBUTION OF ERTILIZERS, (VII) IMPROVED ANIMAL HUSBANDRY PRACICES AND (VIII) BETTER ANIMAL HEALTH SERVICES. ¶7. FINALLY, WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF FOOD AD DEPENDENCY. BEGINNING IN 1996, THE GOE PROHIBITED ALL FOOD- FOR-WORK ACTIVITIES. FREE DISTRIBUTIN IS PRESENTLY ALLOWED UNDER EMERGENCY OPERATION AND SCHOOL FEEDING. RURAL WORKS ARE AT TIMES CARIED OUT USING CASH-FOR-WORK. GIVEN THAT CASH ISSHORT AND PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, NEED ACCELERATED IMPLEMENTATION (E.G., HE FREQUENCY OF DROUGHTS OVER THE PAST DECADE SHW A MARKED INCREASE), FOOD-FOR-WORK CAN BE AN EXELLENT WAY OF ENGAGING ABLE- BODIED BENEFICIARY POPULATIONS IN PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES. MOREOVER, WFP HAS GREATLY AIDED AGRICULTURAL PROGRESS IN CHINA, VIETNAM, BANGLADESH, ETHIOPIA AND INDIA - THROUGH SUSTAINED FOOD-FOR-WORK INTERVENTIONS. THE GSE IS ENCOURAGED TO REVISIT ITS PROHIBITION POLICY ON FOOD-FOR-WORK UNDERTAKINGS. #HALL UNCLASSIFIED > 2002ROME04756 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED