Kenya faces crop failure, warns FAO

The erratic weather patterns in Kenya has pushed the country to the list of countries likely to face crop failure.

In a report released last week, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) called for close monitoring of the crop situation in Kenya and eight other countries where prospects point to a shortfall in production of crops as a result of a reduction of the area planted, adverse weather conditions, pests, diseases and other calamities.

Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan from Africa; Asia's Afghanistan, India, Republic of Moldova and Argentina in Latin America and the Caribbean are ranked among the other countries that are likely to produce less, the Crop Prospects and Food Situation report stated.

The data generated by the new Global Information and Early Warning Service tool by the agency earlier in the year showed that poor weather has inhibited crop production in the country, adding to the reduced production a year after the post-poll crisis.
The outlook for world cereal supply and demand is satisfactory, despite an estimated three per cent decline in world cereal production in 2009 from the 2008 record level, FAO said.

World cereal production in 2009 is forecast at 2,208 million tonnes, 3.4 per cent down from last year's record harvest, but the second largest crop ever. Reductions are forecast for wheat and coarse grains.

In low-income food-deficit countries, prospects for 2009 cereal crops are generally favorable and aggregate production is forecast to increase for the second consecutive year. However, the outlook is uncertain in parts of Western and Eastern Africa as well as in Asia.

Despite a general positive outlook for global cereal supplies, 30 countries around the world are in crisis and require assistance as a result of natural disasters, conflict or insecurity, and economic problems.

A World Food Summit is to be held at FAO Headquarters in Rome from 16-18 November with the aim of securing a broad consensus on the eradication of hunger, on improved governance of the international agricultural system and on policies and programmes to ensure world food security.