Eritrea - Complex Food Security Crisis
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Map of Eritrea |
Regional Team: ECA
East Africa
Disaster Declared: 12/01/2003
Brief Description: Recurring droughts over the past five years have resulted in acute water shortages, limited crop production, livestock losses and worsening food security in Eritrea. In 2004, widespread failure of the short February to April azmera rains and a late start and erratic distribution of the long June to September kremti rains led to reduced agricultural productivity across Debub and Gash Barka zones, former bread-basket areas of Eritrea. Even in good harvest years, Eritrea produces only 50 to 60 percent of the country's total food needs, with commercial imports and food assistance normally filling the gap. Drought conditions and the residual effects of the border conflict with Ethiopia have led to significant socio-economic problems throughout the country with an estimated 2.2 million people requiring humanitarian assistance in 2005-an increase from the 1.9 million beneficiaries targeted in 2004, and representing more than 60 percent of Eritrea's population, according to the revised U.N. Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal (CAP).
FY2005
FY2004
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