FOOD Prospects in CILSS member countries in 2004-2005 "will be fairly good despite the locust invasion", except in Mauritania and Cape Verde, with estimated cereal production for CILSS member countries as a whole, except Mali, put at 10,142,971 tonnes.

This news is contained in a joint communique issued by CILSS and its donor partners, including USAID, FAO, WFP, at the end of a meeting on the preliminary cereal balance-sheets of the CILSS member countries. The four-day technical consultative meeting in Banjul was attended by delegates from CILSS member states, representatives from sub-regional, regional and international institutions, development partners, CILSS staff and experts.

The communique was read by CILSS executive secretary Musa Mbenga at a news conference held at the Tafbel Hotel on Thursday.

Rains

Mbenga said the agricultural season started very late and proved erratic in several countries. "However, the rains significantly improved and remained regular and well-distributed, on the whole, across the major agricultural production zones, between July and August in Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger and Chad.

"The late onset of the rains and crop sowing activities in Mauritania and Senegal was more pronounced in certain parts of these countries whilst the rainfall pattern significantly improved in August.

According to the communique, "these generally favourable conditions facilitated the performance of the crops in the major production areas. Cape Verde which received its first significant rains in mid-July in the principal agricultural islands is the only country where the rains remain inadequate and could affect the potential yields.

"In the major agricultural production zones of the Sahel, the crop water requirement satisfaction index was satisfactory at the end of August, thus allowing for a good and satisfactory crop development.

"However, in the northern part of the Sahel, the early withdrawal of the ITCZ resulted in a decrease in the rainfall regime, provoking pockets of deficit towards the end of September. In those areas affected by both the early stoppage of the rains and the locust invasion, crop losses were, at times, severe in some areas".

The communique added that the hydrological situation remains characterised by low water levels in the major rivers. "This may have some consequences on swamp rice and other recessional crops during the off-season cropping year 2004-2005".

Desert locusts

As regards the phytosanitary situation, it is still dominated by the invasion of the desert locust in many CILSS countries, the communique said.

"The countries most affected include Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso".

It said the assessment of damage to grazing lands is under way in the affected countries, and that losses due to locusts are estimated at between 50 to 95 per cent in the areas most affected. In Mauritania, the shrubs browsed by animals were most affected, thus leading to early transhumance of livestock, entailing higher risk of concentration, epizootic diseases and farmer-pastor conflicts in the host areas.

"This could adversely affect the fodder biomass, and provoke a food deficit and rapid degradation of the vegetation cover due to overgrazing. Therefore, it is necessary to undertake, as a matter of urgency, feed and fodder supply action and to facilitate transhumance of livestock in the subregion", the communique pointed out. "The most significant damage to crops was recorded in Mauritania, where they noted a fall in yields by 95 to 97 per cent on millet and early sorghum crops, 35 per cent on late sorghum and swamp crops and 30 per cent on irrigated rice".

Rainfed vegetable crops have been totally destroyed, the communique further revealed.

In Senegal, Mali, Niger, Cape Verde and Burkina Faso, some areas located in the upper north of the agricultural production zones will experience food problems following endemic pest damage (grasshoppers, grain-eating birds) to crops, locust invasion and drought.

These non-agricultural growing areas (where live food insecure, structurally vulnerable populations) contribute less than 20 per cent to national productions, it continued.

The CILSS meeting recommended a better identification and analysis of the food situation of zones at risk, for the requirements of vulnerable populations to be fully taken into account.

Think-tank

According to the communique, it has been possible to control the geographical area of the locust invasion through mass mobilisation and involvement of the communities, collaboration between countries of the Maghreb and Sahel, massive support from their partners, and because of the collaboration between the international and sub-regional institutions.

To be able to capitalise on these efforts, within the context of the desert locust control programme, it is necessary to set up a think-tank of countries of the Sahel and Maghreb, and involving the international and sub-regional institutions, in order to define an appropriate information and operational mechanism, the CILSS meeting further recommended.