Drought, invasions by crop-devouring locusts and civil conflicts have seriously affected food security in sub-Saharan Africa, with 23 countries facing emergencies, said a UN report released on Monday.

Despite normal or above-average production in some countries, food aid needs amounted to 3.1 million tons in 2004, of which 2.8 million tons have been delivered, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a report on Africa. This compared with 4 million tons delivered in 2003.

In 2005, food aid needs are expected to increase in view of production shortfalls in several countries, but the actual aid requirements will only be known once the ongoing harvests in eastern and western Africa are completed, the report said.

In West Africa, assessment missions by FAO and the World Food Program (WFP) have found that aggregate cereal production for 2004 will remain within the five-year average of 11.6 million tons, butdroughts and locust invasions have caused severe damage to crops and pastures in many countries.

According to the report, in Mauritania, the most-affected country, cereal production is set to drop 44 percent compared to last year. Cape Verde, also badly affected by poor rainfall and locusts, will be facing a larger-than-usual food deficit in 2005.

Several countries in East Africa have had below-average crop production due to erratic seasonal rains and civil conflict, exacerbating the already precarious food situation in the region.

In Sudan, more than 4 million people are estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance, mainly due to the conflict in Darfur, which has drastically disrupted agricultural production.

In the Central Africa Republic, a strong agricultural recovery is being constrained by persistent insecurity, while the volatile situation in the Republic of Congo continues to hamper humanitarian assistance there.

Increased tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have raised the specter of renewed armed conflict and subsequent impacts on food production.

Source: Xinhua