STATES
New York, Oct 5 2011 10:10AM
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today called for
urgent action and funding to prevent a looming crisis in Sudan's Blue Nile
and Southern Kordofan states, where the latest fighting combined with
erratic rainfall has doomed next month's harvest.
The two regions, which lie on the border between Sudan and the
newly-independent nation of South Sudan, have been the scene of deadly
fighting in recent weeks that has displaced tens of thousands of people. UN
officials have called on all parties to cease hostilities and to ensure
access so that humanitarian workers can reach those who need help.
FAO <"http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/92491/icode/">said in a news
release that at least 235,000 people in both states need help given that
food availability there is forecast to be "significantly reduced" following
renewed fighting between Sudanese Government troops and the Sudan People's
Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N).
The fighting has disrupted the major crop season in Blue Nile and Southern
Kordofan - two of Sudan's main sorghum producing areas, according to the
Rome-based agency.
In South Kordofan, people fled at the start of the planting season and were
unable to sow seeds, while in Blue Nile, fighting erupted later in the
season so seeds were planted but people were forced to
<"http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39594&Cr=kordofan&Cr1=">aband
on their crops.
"The latest fighting coupled with erratic rainfall means next month's
harvest is expected to generally fail," it stated.
The shortage of food stocks has already led to a doubling of prices, which
are expected to continue to rise steeply.
The agency also pointed out that seasonal livestock migration has been
disrupted in both states causing large herds to be concentrated in small
areas along the border.
"This is causing overcrowding and could lead to outbreaks of livestock
disease," said Cristina Amaral, Chief of FAO's Emergency Operations Service.
"Tensions between farmers and nomadic herders over water and land access may
also be exacerbated."
All international aid agencies have been barred from Blue Nile, so the true
scale of the situation there is unknown, the agency said. Meanwhile, a small
FAO team of national staff is currently on the ground in South Kordofan.
Although their office was looted they were able to distribute seeds and
tools to 20,000 vulnerable households in the calmer areas. "This timely
support will help provide food for those most in need," stated the agency,
which is seeking some $3.5 million for its operations.
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