Food & Beverage News: Top News

The unprecedented crisis in the Central African Republic is devastating the economy and people's ability to secure basic necessities. This was stated by the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Orgainsation (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) in a recent assessment. The two agencies warned that the country needed a long and expensive humanitarian operation over at least the next 18 months to stem the growing toll, and pave the way to rebuild livelihoods. They issued the report as they took action to help displaced and other conflict-affected families gain immediate access to food and cash, while also preparing for a crucial planting season, which would help families produce food and income for the long term. The joint assessment reported that widespread conflict had caused the destruction of livelihoods and the loss of food and cash crops, livestock and crucial productive assets across the country since December 2012.

As a result, about 1.6 million people directly affected by the crisis are in need of urgent food, more than twice the level estimated in February 2013. Also, as of late March 2014,? it was estimated that about 6,25,000 individuals were displaced due to conflict. Since early 2013, the people of the African nation have been facing serious challenges in accessing food due to reduced supplies, trade disruption and loss of purchasing power. Unemployment is rampant in all sectors, both formal and informal, and civil servants have not been paid for several months. There has been a drastic loss of dietary diversity, and a sharply reduced intake of animal protein, which raises serious concerns for family nutrition and health, especially among children. "The level of destitution among many of the families I have seen recently in the Central African Republic is shocking and yet, there is still hope to improve people's immediate and long-term prospects, if we can act on a broad enough scale to restore livelihoods and food security," said Dominique Burgeon, director, emergency and rehabilitation division, FAO. "First and foremost, we need to see violence stop. At the same time, we need to help save lives and rebuild livelihoods," said Arif Husain, chief economist, WFP.

"Every passing day only makes emergency assistance more difficult and more expensive and leads to the loss of more innocent lives," he added. The vital agricultural sector contracted by nearly 37 per cent in 2013, and business people who managed most of the trade and transport activities have left. This, coupled with a shortage of adequate vehicles, is severely affecting internal commerce, the availability of food and the importexport market. "The prospects for the 2014 cropping season, which commenced in March, are grim given the level of insecurity and lack of agricultural inputs," the report stated. Agriculture - the backbone of the economy, which contributes about 57 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP) - was the hardest-hit of all sectors. post The rainy season, which commences this month, poses a severe challenge to the already-inadequate road network, threatening to make many places inaccessible by road and hindering the prepositioning of food stocks and agricultural inputs. The report recommended that cash transfer programmes be considered in urban areas with relatively more secure food supply chains. Cash transfers could help revitalise community saving and loans to restart local economies. They could also be combined with in-kind food assistance. The report stated that food assistance must include locally-preferred and available foods, such as cassava, rice and maize. "Local purchase for delivery in the same area would also relieve pressure on logistics and strengthen liquidity," it added. Two-pronged approach FAO has a two-pronged approach to improving food security in the Central African Republic. First, essential agricultural inputs such as seeds and tools would be provided to about 75,000 households in time for the planting period starting in April. Also, a comprehensive plan aims to help over 400 farmer groups and women's associations recover their livelihoods and build resilience. WFP is assisting 1.25 million women, children and men in the country. It would provide food assistance to internally-displaced people, nutrition support to malnourished children, pregnant women, nursing mothers and individuals with HIV/AIDS and emergency school meals for children. As of March, only one-third of the funding needed by WFP was secured. As a result, vulnerable and displaced people were receiving half-rations with fewer types of food. Funding is urgently required to provide sufficient life-saving assistance to growing numbers of people during the current rainy season and the lean season. This period, currently underway, is when food requirements are the highest.

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