United Nations Radio

The World Food Programme has identified Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Sudan as its high profile emergencies for the next six to twelve months.

WFP says it needs to pre-position over 32,700mt of food in Chad to cover beneficiaries' needs for 5 months from July to November 2009.

The UN food agency says given the six month lead time for food delivery to Chad coupled with the poor road conditions within the country, timely contributions are needed to commence 2009 preposition by early February 2009

In Ethiopia, FAO completed the 1st phase of an assessment. The 1st part of the FAO mission indicated that crop performance is good and harvest could be average especially for the main crop growing areas in the western parts of the country. Teff production is likely to be below average due to the effect of the unseasonal rains. Harvest prospects are below average in the eastern half of the country.

And in Somalia, there is growing concern about the availability of water and adequate pasture in arid areas of Somali, Afar, Tigray and Oromiya regions should the current dry spell continue and rains come late.

Donn Bobb, United Nations Radio

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