Worldwide, 39 countries are in need of external food assistance -- the majority required for drought-affected and chronically food insecure populations in southern and eastern Africa, according to a new FAO report released today. World cereal production is forecast to decrease slightly in 2006 after last year’s good levels, according to the report. The report warns that if global cereal use in 2006/2007 remains close to recent trends it would exceed the current forecast for production, which could lead to a drawdown of global cereal stocks for the second consecutive year.