World Food Programme Emergency Report 2004
Issued Weekly by the United Nations World Food Programme
Report No. 44 of 29 October 2004


(A) Highlights
(B) Middle East, Central Asia and Eastern Europe: (1) Afghanistan
(C) East and Central Africa:  (1)  Burundi, (2)  DR Congo, (3)  Eritrea,
     (4) Ethiopia, (5) Kenya (6) Rwanda, (7) Somalia, (8) Sudan,
     (9) Uganda
(D) West Africa: (1) Chad, (2) Cote d'Ivoire, (3) Liberia
(E) Southern Africa: (1) Regional, (2) Angola, (3) Lesotho, (4) Malawi,
     (5) Mozambique, (6) Namibia, (7) Swaziland, (8) Zambia, (9) Zimbabwe
(F) Asia: (1) Bangladesh, (2) DPR Korea
(G) Latin America and the Caribbean:  (1) Bolivia (2) Colombia,
     (3) Ecuador, (4) Guatemala, (5) Haiti, (6) Nicaragua


>From David Kaatrud, Director of the Analysis, Assessment and Preparedness
Service (ODA).  Available on the Internet on the WFP Home Page
(www.wfp.org), or by e-mail from Carlo.Scaramella@wfp.org, Chief of the
Emergency Preparedness and Response Unit (ODAP).  For information on
resources, donors are requested to contact Valerie.Sequeira@wfp.org at WFP
Rome, telephone +39 06 6513 2009.  Media queries should be directed to
Brenda.Barton@wfp.org, telephone +39 06 6513 2602. The address of WFP is
Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68, Parco dei Medici, 00148 Rome, Italy.



A)  Highlights

- Insecurity continues to undermine WFP's operations in the three states
   of Darfur
- A WFP/UNHCR Joint Assessment Mission started its mission in Chad
- The largest single food aid shipment in years arrived in Eritrea with
   61,200 tons of wheat on board
- The erratic and insecure situation in Haity's cities of Port-au-Prince
   and Gonaives continues hampering food distributions.



B)  Middle East, Central Asia and Eastern Europe: (1) Afghanistan

1)  Afghanistan

(a)  The security situation continued to deteriorate during the past week,
throughout most of the country, particularly in the central, eastern,
southeastern and southern regions. In the centre, a suicide attacker
detonated grenades on a commercial street in Kabul city on 23 October,
killing two civilians, including a US national and injuring six others.
Three foreign peacekeepers were among the injured. In the south, a
district coordinator of the Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) was
killed and his two children were injured in an ambush in Uruzgan on 21
October.

(b)  From 14 to 20 October, 519,790 beneficiaries received about 2,405
tons of food, and from 21 to 27 October, some 3,125 tons of food were
received by about 582,555 beneficiaries

(c)  Through a food-for-work project recently completed in Shindand
district of Hirat, 42 km of irrigation canals and three karezes
(underground water channels) were rehabilitated and one spring was
cleaned. The project has contributed to an increased agricultural
production and provided local community with access to clean drinking
water.

(d)  As part of a government capacity building initiative, 16 Department
of Education staff on 18 October received training in food distribution
and reporting skills to help them implement food-for-education (FFE)
interventions. Under FFE food is used as an incentive for participation in
education and to help rebuild educational infrastructure, enhance
knowledge and skills and support teachers.

(e)  The Ministries of Health (MoH) and Education (MoE), UNICEF, WHO and
WFP participated in a national stakeholder consultation workshop on
countrywide deworming campaign in Kabul on 14 October. Lessons learned
from the first round of the campaign were reviewed along with results of
the rapid impact assessment. The latter was conducted in ten major cities
to determine the impacts of drugs on physical and mental growth of
children. During first phase of the campaign a total of 4.5 million
schoolchildren were successfully dewormed throughout the country. The
second round will be launched in the first week of November and will
target more than one million children in 14 major cities of the country.

(f)  On 24 October, the Provincial Disaster Management Committee,
including the Department of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, UNAMA,
UNICEF, WHO and other partners, met in Badakhshan to carry out an
assessment of the damage caused by an avalanche in Zebak district.
Snowstorms have caused heavy losses and damages to crops and livestock in
the area. WFP is taking part in the assessment and will provide immediate
food assistance once the needs of the affected people are assessed.



C)  East and Central Africa: (1) Burundi, (2) DR Congo, (3) Eritrea, (4)
Ethiopia, (5) Kenya (6) Rwanda, (7) Somalia, (8) Sudan, (9) Uganda

1)  Burundi

(a)  The Ministers of Reinsertion and Reinstallation of Refugees and
Displaced Persons and of Good Governance of Burundi visited the people who
have recently fled from Northern provinces (Kirundo, Ngozi, Karusi and
Kayanza) to Rwanda. The Ministers reportedly convinced the majority to
return to Burundi. Some 2,800 persons were reported to have fled as of 19
October.  WFP continues to monitor the situation and to provide assistance
as necessary. An assessment is currently underway in Kirundo.

(b)  Targeted killings and armed banditry increased in Bujumbura Rural
province and in other areas, especially those close to the border with the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Military sources blame the Front
National de Liberation (FNL) based in DRC.

(c)  Between 18 and 24 October, WFP distributed a total of some 1,165 tons
of food aid to over 140,795 beneficiaries through different programme
activities.

(d)  Distribution of the Seeds Protection Rations (SPR) was completed
countrywide.  Preliminary figures show that nearly 159,200 households were
assisted and more than 8,000 tons of food distributed.

(e)  WFP carried out a food security assessment among households affected
by the conflict in Mutambu commune of Bujumbura Rural province and
concluded that nearly 5,400 families - including some 4,100 new families
of IDPs and almost 1,300 households determined by the Joint Crop and Food
Supply Assessment Mission - will be in need of food assistance between
November this year and February 2005.

(f)  Another food security assessment was conducted in Nyamurenza commune
of Ngozi province. The assessment teams found that food security was
affected during the hunger gap period when people eat manioc as basic
diet. Manioc crops have decreased due to the mosaic virus. Food reserves
are significantly reduced and a malaria epidemic coupled with delay of the
rains worsened the situation.

(g)  During the week, WFP received more than 1,300 tons of food with only
230 tons of maize. WFP is still facing a partial shortfall of cereals.
Periodic shortfalls of some other commodities are also expected in the
coming months. WFP has assured loans of cereals and CSB to cover some of
the gaps and substituted some commodities with others to ensure planned
distributions.


2)  Democratic Republic of Congo

(a)  The security situation in the Ituri district, North Kivu and South
Kivu province reportedly deteriorated. Reports were received that armed
groups looted various locations in Bunia and environs. Militiamen shot at
a humanitarian convoy that was escorted by the UN Blue Helmets on 20
October on the Mongalu-Iga barriere axis.

(b)  Confrontations between various armed groups were said to be
increasing in the North Kivu province. According to some sources, militia
groups, particularly in the Masisi and Rutshuru territory, attacked
governmental military positions.

(c)  In the South Kivu province, transportation of goods was hampered by
numerous illegal military blocks. Discouraged by taxes levied by soldiers,
transporters have reduced their activities. The Fizi-Baraka axis was the
most affected. WFP logistics activities were constrained by the prevailing
situation.

(d)  WFP provided food assistance to some 530 families (more than 2,650
individuals) that were recently expelled from Uganda. Under the
supervision of German Agro Action, the distribution of 33 tons of food
took place in Ndirgi and Kasenyi, where the families have resettled.

(e)  In the South Kivu province, WFP released around 630 tons of food to
almost 35,900 beneficiaries. Most of them were IDPs either involved in
food-for-work (FFW) activities or benefiting from general food
distributions because of their high level of vulnerability to food
insecurity. In the North Kivu province, food distribution activities
targeted around 87,500 beneficiaries who were mainly IDPs in Beni and
returnees into the Rusthuru territory. WFP released 256 tons of food to
various international and local NGOs to carry out the food distribution to
those beneficiaries.

(f)  In Kisangani (Oriental Province), preliminary reports from monitoring
activities indicated an increase, as compared to the academic year
2003/04, of 10.62 percent in the enrolment rate of children attending
schools providing school feeding programmes through WFP and implementing
partners.


3)  Eritrea

(a)  Food and water shortages in Eritrea persist following lower than
expected rainfall around the country, FEWS-Net said in a report on
Thursday. "Because the rainfall has been poor, the actual harvest yield is
expected to be less than 109,000 tons. Pasture and grazing conditions are
poor in most parts of the country, which -coupled with the low anticipated
harvest - will seriously affect the overall food security situation in the
coming year", the famine-warning agency continued.

(b)  Water levels in wells and boreholes are at all time lows. An
inventory of water points carried out by the Water Resources Department of
the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment revealed that 11 communities
of 85,000 people face acute water shortages without the possibility of
improving their watering system (IRIN)

(c)  The US Flag ship "Liberty Sun" and its lighter vessel M/V Denden
docked at the port of Massawa on 29 October with 61,200 tons of wheat on
board. This shipment represents the largest single consignment of food aid
to Eritrea since independence in 1991. This shipment is composed of 38,500
tons in support of WFP's EMOP in Eritrea and another 22,700 tons to the
Eritrean Grain Board. The WFP portion is targeted to feed some 600,000 of
the most vulnerable population in the regions of Gash Barka, Debub and
Anseba for nearly four months. These predominantly farming families are
facing another bleak harvest compounded by a dramatic rise in the prices
of basic foods, which severely limits their food access, thus aggravating
their household food insecurity.

(d)  The FAO/WFP Crop Assessment Mission remains scheduled to be fielded
from 7 November.

(e)  As of 27 October 2004 about 82,412 tons of food worth USD 28.1
million have been resourced under EMOP 10261.1, Emergency Food Assistance
to Victims of Crop Failure and Drought in Eritrea. This amount represents
77 percent of the total resource requirements for this operation. For the
PRRO 10192.0, Food Assistance to War and Drought Affected Persons in
Eritrea, WFP could mobilize 52,686 tons of food commodities with a value
of USD 26.8 million. Thus, about 50 percent of the planned food
requirements are covered. This PRRO will end in June 2005.


4)  Ethiopia

(a)  Deyr season rains have been falling in western and central parts of
Somali Region, fortunately bringing about significant improvements in
conditions and easing the bleak picture presented in reports from the
region received as recently as two weeks ago. There is still deep concern
for the areas in the east of the region still suffering from critical
drought conditions, especially Gashamo district in Degehabour zone, Duhun
and Garbo districts of Fik zone, and parts of Bokh and Geladi districts of
Warder zone, as little rain has fallen in these areas, but other areas
report pasture and water situation is improving rapidly with very recent
deyr rains. By the last week of October, rain had spread to much of Korahe
zone, and had arrived in several locations in Gode zone, though parts of
Gode zone remain dry.

(b)  In western parts of Somali Region, more rain was received in Afder
and Liben zones, where rain had begun earlier than in the other zones of
the region, and very significant amounts were received in the badly
drought-affected districts of Dolo Odo and Chereti, among others. There
are pockets of poor rain coverage in Liban and elsewhere, as rains in all
southern pastoralist parts of the country are notoriously uneven in
distribution. Agro-pastoral areas will need more rain for successful maize
and sorghum crops. Some flooding has been reported in areas that depend on
flood-recession agriculture, as in Mustahil on the Shebelle River in Gode
zone.

(c)  The deyr season extends to at least the end of November, thus the
full picture will not be known until then, but except for the easternmost
areas, there is now growing hope for a seasonal recovery from the harsher
than usual dry hagaa season conditions which resulted from early cessation
of main season gu rains in April. In the hardest hit areas this had
followed on poor deyr rains in late 2003. Delivery of relief food supplies
to the region, though slow and facing transport delays, has been providing
increasing amounts of food in recent months. In July, the target
beneficiary number in Somali Region was set at 1.4 million people for the
months of August to December (nationally, total targeted beneficiaries
were 7.8 million in September and 5.3 million in October; WFP continues to
provide 50 percent of total emergency food aid needs).

(d)  Elsewhere in the country, harvest prospects are positive in surplus
producing areas of the west, but generally poorer rains in the east and
north-east of the country, especially in traditionally food deficit areas,
mean that food security prospects have not improved in areas that have
been of concern over recent months. These include the lowlands of East and
West Hararghe of Oromiya region. In southern Oromiya region, there is a
mixed picture in the districts of Borena and Guji and lowland Bale: some
areas have received rain since early October, but only Moyale district,
Yabelo district and other pocket areas of Borena zone have benefited, thus
serious water shortages for many pastoralists continue, and water
tankering remains in place in some areas. In the north, poor crops are
expected in Southern, Eastern and parts of Central Tigray. Harvests in
North and South Wollo of Amhara region are now expected to be not as good
as foreseen at the time of the mid-season assessment, as meher rains ended
early. In Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region,
Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR), though good rain is still
reported in parts of the region, very serious conditions are reported in
parts of the pastoralist South Omo district and in Zala and Gofa lowland
districts of Gamo Gofa zone where crops have failed.

(e)  A fuller picture of crop conditions and the food security situation
will be available following the FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment
Mission (7 November to 8 December) and the multi-agency meher needs
assessment mission led by the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness
Commission (5 to 30 November).


5)  Kenya

(a)  The 2004 Short Rains started fully in most parts of the country. In
September, the national climate experts forecast for normal to above
normal rainfall for all agricultural areas and the northeast parts of the
country. Dry conditions are predicted to persist in parts of Turkana
District, Marsabit as well as part of Isiolo and Laikipia Districts. In
the pastoral north ? particularly Turkana District ? successive poor
seasons, accentuated by compressed recovery period, have left households
highly vulnerable and unable to cope with continued losses of livestock
and livelihood options. If the Short Rains forecast is accurate, the food
security crisis in the pastoral areas will worsen and relief needs will
remain high. In addition, there is increasing concern that delivery of
food to the drought-affected areas might be hampered if some of the access
roads are washed away.

(b)  Early last week, sixteen trucks carrying WFP food to the Dabaab
refugee camps in northeastern Kenya were stuck on the Garissa-Dadaab road
following heavy rains, thus delaying food delivery to the camps.  Due to
this delay the second food distribution cycle for October was interrupted
during Ramadan. Consequently, stones were thrown and the police had to be
called in to restore calm. The rains have subsided, and the trucks are
getting through by pulling each other. WFP hopes to deliver enough food to
Dadaab camps for the next distribution before heavy rains interrupt
deliveries again.

(c)  WFP urgently requires additional resources to cover food requirements
for the drought relief emergency operation in Kenya.  So far, out of a
total requirement of USD 81.3 million for the EMOP, the confirmed
contributions amount to USD 48.9 million, approximately 60 percent of the
total requirements. In October, WFP targets 1.7 million beneficiaries.
This is expected to increase to 2.2 million people in November.  However,
resource shortfalls and absence of balance food commodities continue to
cause concern.


6)  Rwanda

(a)  The security situation in all camps and transit centres remains calm.
Last week was characterised by some new developments in relation to
Burundian refugees crossing via Ngenda from Kirundo province of Burundi.
The main event was the visit of the Burundian Minister of Good Governance
to Ngenda site in Kigali-ngali where about 1,628 Burundian refugees are
accommodated. His visit resulted in 173 refugees returning to Burundi
during the past week. The idea of relocating refugees from Ngenda to
another location inside Rwanda is still being discussed between different
concerned bodies including UNHCR and the Ministry of Local Government,
Community Development & Social Affairs. The caseload in other transit
centres in the country remained stable during the week

(b)  The number of refugees in Rwanda stands now at some 42,695 people,
and all receive WFP assistance on a monthly basis.


7)  Somalia

(a)  The newly elected Somali Transitional Federal President Abdullahi
Yusuf Ahmed appealed to the African Union on Monday, 25 October, for a
force of 15,000 to 20,000 troops to help his government disarm an
estimated 55,000 militia members.

(b)  Heavy rains continue to hamper humanitarian access in parts of
Southern Somalia where food insecurity has reached dramatic proportions
with a general acute malnutrition rate of around 20 percent (on a weight
for height basis). Reports from Mogadishu indicated heavy rains and
subsequent localized floods in several villages in middle and lower Juba
regions. The most affected areas include villages along the Juba River
around Jilib and Jamame districts. WFP will continue to monitor the levels
of Juba River and adjust its intervention strategies in the event of heavy
floods in the south region.

(c)  Despite heavy rains in the South, WFP continued in October the
emergency relief distributions in the Northwest and Northeast of Somalia
with some 2,300 tons of food commodities to 200,000 beneficiaries in 255
settlements and villages. Although the first rains have been received in
many parts of North Somalia, the population of the area is heavily
affected by the aftermath of the drought, which lasted for more than three
years.

(d)  WFP has managed to bring over 1,060 tons of highly needed food aid
into the Lower Juba area by using local transporters that moved the food
from Mombasa overseas through the port of Kismayo.

(e)  (d) The United Nations Air Service (UNCAS) flights are still
restricted to some locations in Somalia that are considered the most
secure, namely Hargeisa, Bossaso, Wajid, Garowe and Jowhar, and to
Mogadishu upon request. This has limited staff movements in operational
areas. UNCAS is increasing its security at its major destinations in
Somalia. Meanwhile, security measures are being taken at all major
airfields to ensure safety and security.


8)  Sudan

(a)  Ongoing insecurity continues to undermine WFP's ability to
effectively operate inside the three states of Darfur. In North Darfur,
several areas remain "NO GO" areas by UN Security: beyond Tawilla,
Tawilla-Kebkabeyah, locations beyond Shangal Tubaiya to Tabit area;
Northwest of El Fasher: Kutum/Deesa road and beyond, Anka area; Northeast
of El Fasher: beyond Mellit to Malha.

(b)  The continued instability of the security situation in Darfur has
seriously impacted WFP's ability to meet its 1.6 million beneficiary
target for October. Shortages in trucking capacity within the commercial
transport sector also remain. In addition, slow deliveries of locally
purchased commodities have impacted WFP's ability to fully dispatch and
distribute food to the affected population. Furthermore, the holy month of
Ramadan has slowed down operations, particularly at the port and stores.

(c)  As of 25 October, WFP dispatched some 19,730 tons of food by road,
rail and air from hubs in Khartoum and El Obeid to the Darfurs. In the
same period, about 16,420 tons of food were dispatched to an estimated
938,200 (based on dispatches) from Area Offices (AO) to Cooperating
Partners (CPs).

(d)  The provision of a full basket of commodities to beneficiaries has
been a top priority for WFP in October. WFP stepped up airlift and
road/rail transport efforts of non-cereals from Khartoum and El Obeid to
the Darfurs as well as from the Darfurs to CPs for distribution to the
affected population. WFP is ensuring that a more balanced food basket was
distributed to beneficiaries this month compared to previous months.

(e)  The provisional report of the four-week food and nutrition security
assessment was released on 26 October (www.wfp.org). Results from the
nutrition survey indicate that the nutrition situation remains of serious
concern with 21.8 percent of the under-5 population in Darfur acutely
malnourished and 3.9 percent severely malnourished. The global acute
malnutrition rate exceeds the 15 percent threshold used in emergencies to
define a serious situation. Micronutrient deficiencies in women and
children are also extraordinarily high, with 25.5 percent of the women
suffering from goitre, an indicator of iodine deficiency and anaemia found
in 55.2 percent of the children. Crude mortality rate (CMR) from February
to August 2004 was 0.72 deaths/10,000 persons/day. The under-5 crude
mortality rate was 1.03 deaths/10,000 persons/day. Both rates fall below
the threshold CMR of 1 death /10,000 persons/day and the threshold CMR for
under-5 of 2 deaths /10,000 persons/day. The CMR for those displaced was
higher than that of those not displaced at 0.88 deaths/10,000 persons per
day, and 1.15 deaths /10,000 persons/day for those under 5 years of age.

(f)  The nutrition survey was complemented with a food security survey.
The findings of this survey indicate that a significant portion of the
IDPs and residents are at risk of serious malnutrition or loss of
livelihoods. IDPs are worse off than residents, with up to 94 percent of
the IDPs relying on food aid to meet the majority of their consumption
needs. However, over 50 percent of the resident population has difficulty
meeting their own consumption needs of which 20 percent are in critical
need of food assistance.


9)  Uganda

(a)  The protracted Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency in the
northern Acholi and Lango regions (Gulu, Kitgum, Pader and Lira) continues
to severely constrain the livelihoods of over 1.4 million displaced
persons sheltering in more than 100 congested protected camps. They
continue to depend on WFP food assistance for survival.

(b)  The security situation in Gulu, Kitgum, Pader and Lira districts
remains relatively stable, though LRA rebel activity continued in parts of
Kitgum and Pader districts, and attacks by Karimojong warriors in Lira
were reported.

(c)  Over 20,000 internally displaced people in northern Uganda were left
roofless on Sunday night after a heavy storm destroyed over 3,000 huts in
the massive Pabbo camp, which shelters about 55,000 people. WFP and NGO
partners will provide humanitarian assistance following the extensive
damage to school buildings and crops. Fifty people have been hospitalised
following a cholera outbreak in Pabbo camp. WFP has provided the affected
persons and their caretakers with 1.7 tons of a 30-day ration - maize
meal, beans, edible oil and sugar.

(d)  The influx of repatriated refugees who return to Nakivale, Oruchinga
and Kyaka II settlements has raised concern among humanitarian aid
agencies.

(e)  WFP food distributions continue to reach over 1.4 million displaced
persons, 150,000 refugees and other vulnerable persons. During the period
from 16 to 22 October, some 3,055 tons of WFP relief food assistance was
distributed to over 255,895 persons including IDPs sheltering in camps in
Gulu, Kitgum and Pader districts in the northern Acholi sub-region;
refugees, school children and other vulnerable persons.

(f)  Based on the recommendation of a mission to assess the impact of a
hailstorm that destroyed crops in Kumi district, WFP will provide a
one-off assistance of 22 tons to 2,253 persons.

(g)  A team from the UN Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC) in Nairobi was in
Kitgum from 21 to 23 October to assess logistical capacity of Kitgum to
handle any humanitarian assistance going to southern Sudan. In Kitgum, the
UNJLC team met with WFP, UNOCHA, NGOs, district officials and the
military.

(h)  WFP faces a shortfall of over 21,540 tons of food commodities (13,146
tons cereals, 3,447 tons pulses and 4,949 tons fortified blended foods),
representing a funding gap of USD 10 million, required to maintain the
food pipeline necessary to continue providing relief assistance to IDPs
and refugees through March of next year.



D)  West Africa Region: (1) Chad, (2) Cote d'Ivoire, (3) Liberia

1)  Chad

(a)  The security situation in Chad was relatively calm during this week.
One incident was reported in Touloum refugee camp, where a refugee was
killed by another following a dispute over resources. The group of
gendarmes which was recently deployed around the camps to reinforce
security, is currently undergoing a special UNHCR training on codes of
conduct as well as on protection of women and children.

(b)  The caseload reported as of 19 October totals 193,904 refugees. This
comprises of 182,336 refugees registered in the camps, 4,228 refugees
located at border sites who will be transferred and 7,374 refugees located
at border sites and do not wish to be transferred to the camps.  UNHCR
Bahai reported the arrival of 3,000 refugees in Oure Casoni, who are
currently being verified. WFP is taking steps to be fully involved in the
registration process.

(c)  WFP met with the UNHCR Registration Process Review team and discussed
problems related to registration, such as political and ethnic links, lack
of identity cards, nomadic movements and so on. Among other issues
highlighted was the risk that spontaneous refugees may include Chadian
residents

(d)  Due to scarcity of water, plans are underway to decongest
overpopulated refugee camps, namely those in the north. The Ministry of
Health, WHO and UNHCR are working on alerting refugees on hygiene and
clean water in order to contain an outbreak of Hepatitis E in central
camps, especially in Bredjing and Treguine camps. The UNHCR nutrition team
reported that the number of children at the therapeutic feeding centers
has dropped to 20 in the northern camps and remains unchanged at 40 in the
southern camps.

(e)  From 22 to 28 October, under EMOP 10327.0, Emergency Assistance to
Sudanese Refugees in Eastern Chad, WFP distributed over 220 tons to some
30,075 beneficiaries. These comprise of about 23,145 beneficiaries under
the blanket supplementary feeding programme and 6,930 spontaneous
refugees. This quantity complements the October distributions, which were
completed for general food distribution as reported last week.

(f)  Under blanket supplementary feeding activities for November, WFP
plans to cover over 54,780 beneficiaries. In addition, 4,690 beneficiaries
are targeted under supplementary and therapeutic feeding programmes,
implemented by NGOs.

(g)  A WFP/UNHCR Joint Assessment Mission (JAM) commenced on 25 October.
The mission had an initial meeting in N'Djamena with key UN agencies,
donors, NGOs and governmental representatives before proceeding to Abeche.
The mission is expected to present its preliminary findings on 4 November
in N'Djamena.

(h)  During last week, the FAO/CILSS/FEWS-Net Crop and Supply Assessment
Mission finalized its preliminary report for 2004. According to its
findings, the 2004/2005 cereals production has declined 36 percent
compared to last year. The three main factors that affected the national
cereals production are the locust infestation (putting at risk Batha,
Kanem, BET, Wadi Fira, Le Lac), low rainfalls (Sahelian zone and
Sudano-Shelain Zone) and the refugees influx in Eastern Chad.


2)  Cote d'Ivoire

(a)  On 26 October, French troops traded fire with unidentified gunmen
south of Korhogo. No French troops were wounded although some of the
attackers were.

(b)  The poor conditions of the roads in the Grabo area continue to hamper
distribution efforts. The poor conditions are the result of a particularly
long and heavy rainy season in the area. In despite of the constraints,
925 tons of commodities were distributed to nearly 85,000 people.

(c)  WFP, FAO and ANADER (the government agency for rural agricultural
development) are collaborating on a "counter season" project for vegetable
farming. Seeds and tools have already been distributed to villages around
Blolequin.  FAO and ANADER have been conducting training sessions on
planting techniques for the vegetables which include beans and okra.


3)  Liberia

(a)  As of 25 October, some 93,000 ex-combatants had been disarmed and
82,000 demobilized since December 2003.  The last entry to the
demobilization cantonment sites in Ganta, Harper, Voinjama and Zwedru will
take place on 31 October, and the last discharge of combatants will take
place on 4 November.  No sites are currently scheduled to remain open
thereafter.

(b)  From 20 to 26 October, a total of 1,100 tons of food were distributed
to 96,500 beneficiaries in Liberia.

(c)  Resettlement of the returning refugees from Sierra Leone to Sinje
transit site (Grand Cape Mount)  continued with 235 returning refugees
receiving WFP's support, consisting of a two months resettlement food
package, together with non food items and a transport allowance to their
home villages in Grand Cape Mount County.

(d)  The food pipeline continues to face critical shortages, and since
June, WFP has been forced to distribute reduced rations to refugees,
returnees and IDPs receiving WFP support.  Since August, WFP has not been
able to deliver food to food-for-work activities; this measure will
continue until the pipeline situation improves in a sustainable manner.
.

(e)  New contributions continue to be needed in order for WFP to be able
to provide full rations and complete programmes in the coming months



E)  Southern Africa: (1) Regional, (2) Angola, (3) Lesotho, (4) Malawi,
(5) Mozambique, (6) Namibia , (7) Swaziland, (8) Zambia, (9) Zimbabwe

1)  Regional

(a)  The regional Emergency Operation EMOP 10290, Targeted Relief to
Vulnerable Households in Southern Africa, for Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique,
Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe urgently needs an additional 25,000 tons of
cereals, pulses, vegetable oil, corn soya blend and dried skimmed milk to
meet food distribution requirements through December.

(b)  In addition, contributions are urgently sought to support local and

regional procurement of food for the first six months of the regional
Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation PRRO 10310, Assistance to
Populations in Southern Africa Vulnerable to Food Insecurity and the
Impact of AIDS. The October session of WFP's Executive Board approved the
project which will start in January 2005. Food distribution needs in the
first two quarters of 2005 are 102,000 tons and 56,000 tons respectively.
During the first quarter peak, WFP aims to assist 2.8 million people.


2)  Angola

(a)  With the rainy season already underway, weather conditions have begun
to rapidly deteriorate in the interior of the country.  Amongst other
consequences, this affects refugee shuttle flights inside the country,
thus further slowing the repatriation process.

(b)  In the past seven days, 900 returnees coming from Zambia entered the
Lumbala N'guimbo Reception Centre in eastern Moxico province. Of these,
180 are spontaneous returnees. The increasing numbers of returnees,
coupled with the poor condition of the airstrip have hampered the
strategic prepositioning of food supplies for new arrivals.  In
collaboration with other agencies, WFP has been taking steps to improve
the airstrip condition.

(c)  PRRO 10054.2, Support to Return and Resettlement, remains severely
under funded.  WFP continues to approach donors to secure additional
contributions so as to allow distributions until next year's harvest.
The project still needs about USD 77 million through the end of 2005, even
with reduced beneficiary levels and a much smaller school feeding
programme than had initially been envisaged.

(d)  Immediate contributions for the Passenger Air Transport Special
Operation are needed to avert closure of the service from early December.
USD 250,000 is required to keep the service operational to the end of the
year, while a further USD 1.5 million is needed to allow the service to
operate through mid-2005.


3)  Lesotho

(a)  From 20 to 26 October, WFP and its partners distributed about 850
tons of food to 72,000 vulnerable people including children under five
years of age; people affected by HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis and their
families; pregnant and nursing mothers; and orphans. (b)  EMOP 10290
urgently requires some 9,000 tons of cereal, pulses and corn-soya-blend
through December.


4)  Malawi

(a)  WFP's emergency operation in Malawi requires approximately 11,000
tons of cereals, pulses and vegetable oil to continue food distribution
through December.


5)  Mozambique

(a)  According to FEWS-Net, the overall food security situation in parts
of southern and central Mozambique where food insecure people were
identified earlier this year, has stabilized due to several ongoing
interventions. However, in the northern Nampula coastal areas, the
combined effects of cassava brown streak disease and poor rainfall in the
last agricultural season are likely to cause food deficits among the
poorest households. Humanitarian agencies continue to monitor food
security as the 'hunger' season approaches.

(b)  The national de-worming campaign for school children was officially
launched by the Government in Sofala province. WFP, UNICEF, WHO and World
Bank are supporting the campaign.

(c)  About 2,000 tons of cereals are urgently required to meet needs in
November and December under the emergency operation.


6)  Namibia

(a)  During the past week, 108 Angolan refugees were repatriated by air.
About 3,115 Angolan refugees have been repatriated since the start of
repatriation operations in May this year.

(b)  FAO has appealed for additional resources to control an outbreak of
locusts threatening crop production in Namibia's northeastern Caprivi
region. Resources are urgently required for the procurement and
administration of pesticide spray, to curtail the breeding that could
impact on food production in 2004/05 season. In 2002 locusts destroyed
about 300 ha of maize crop in southeastern Caprivi.

(c)  This week, some 5,000 orphans and vulnerable children in Caprivi,
Kavango and Oshikoto regions received WFP food rations through
implementing partner Africare.


7)  Swaziland

(a)  Water for livestock and domestic use is becoming scarce at Hlane and
Khuphuka districts in the Lowveld. White Mbuluzi, the only river that runs
through the communities, has dried up, leaving livestock farmers concerned
about the fate of their cattle, which are already showing signs of
fatigue. The Lowveld and Dry Middleveld recorded about 10mm rainfall last
week. Extension Officers of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
have expressed fears that the rains may be getting late, even for some
drought tolerant crops.

(b)  A pipeline shortfall is expected in November and December. WFP
urgently needs 1,700 tons of cereals under the regional EMOP 10290.


8)  Zambia

(a)  International Red Locust Control Organisation for Central and
Southern Africa (IRLCO-CSA) based in Zambia has confirmed receiving
reports from Livingstome and Sesheke on the outbreak of Africa migratory
locusts. There is concern that the locusts will lay eggs which may hatch
and destroy crops during the growing season if not contained. The IRLCO is
reported to be constrained by lack of pesticides in the country. WFP
continues to monitor the invasion which could affect crop production and
food security.

(b)  WFP is providing food to some 23,000 school children in 61 schools in
five districts in Southern and Eastern provinces under the pilot School
Feeding Programme. About 61,000 school children receive hot porridge of
fortified corn-soya blend in 217 community schools in Lusaka, Kafue and
Chongwe. Furthermore, 7,822 families are benefiting from a take-home
ration, bringing the total number of beneficiaries of the urban
intervention to 92,000.

(c)  PRRO 10071.1, Food Assistance for Refugees from Angola and Democratic
Republic of Congo, urgently requires new contributions to assist about
100,000 refugees resident in the six refugee camps. Due to pipeline
constraints the ration for pulses was cut by half since the beginning of
October. The ration for cereals will also be cut by half from November.


9)  Zimbabwe

(a)  Food insecurity is deepening, particularly for communities in the
extreme northern, western and southern peripheries of the country. An
increase in distress sale of livestock is reported in Mudzi district of
Mashonaland East province. School attendance is dropping as parents hire
out their children for farm labour, as this is the planting season.
Additionally, children are dropping out of school in the district because
WFP's school feeding programme is on hold in the district pending the
registration by the government of the NGO cooperating partner Medair.
Teachers at Goromonzi primary school, in the same province, reported that
an increasing number of villagers are begging for food from the school.

(b)  Food availability in some urban areas of Masvingo province in the
south of the country has improved over the reporting period, with the
start of subsidised sale of maize grain and rice by the state run Grain
Marketing Board (GMB). Distribution of seed is going on at some GMB depots
where prices range from the equivalent of USD 1 and USD 1.5 for a kilo of
maize seed. This price is unaffordable for the majority of newly resettled
and small farmers. Consequently, many farmers are planting the open
pollinated varieties whose yields are much less than treated seed.



F)  Asia: (1) Bangladesh, (2) DPR Korea

1)  Bangladesh

(a)  The normal food scarcity situation of the post-monsoon period has
been greatly exacerbated by the impact of repeated flood episodes since
early July, and in some areas since April. It is feared that the
short-term lean season, known as 'monga', which leads up to the December
harvest, will be particularly severe this year.  Alarm bells are already
ringing in some areas of the north and central Bangladesh.

(b)  WFP received the government authorization in advance of a formal
Letter of Understanding (LOU) which concerns the implementation of EMOP
10380, Assistance to Flood Affected People in Bangladesh. Clarifications
on all issues regarding the LOU between the GOB and WFP are resolved. The
LOU is expected to be signed soon.

(c)  The general food distribution under the EMOPs Vulnerable Group
Rehabilitation (VGR) component has started. The distribution in October
targets 903,800 households in the country's six most affected districts.
WFP is planning to send a request to the Ministry of Food and Disaster
Management for issuing a government authorization for VGR distribution for
the month of November, covering four districts.

(d)  The Supplementary Feeding programme is expected to start in early
November. Finalization of the Letter of Agreement between NGOs/UNICEF/WFP
is underway and is pending for UNICEF's approval. WFP will also distribute
vegetable oil from the available stock among the beneficiaries in three
districts.

(e)  Under a school feeding activity, about 600,000 primary school
children have been receiving high-energy biscuits since September. The
biscuits are being distributed by NGOs normally assigned to WFP's regular
School Feeding programme.

(f)  Resourcing levels of the EMOP remain severely inadequate, after no
new pledges or contributions have been made in the past week. Currently
only about 20 percent of the total budgetary needs have been resourced.


2)  DPR Korea

(a)  Under EMOP 1041.02, seventeen out of nineteen Local Food Production
factories operated during the week. Production for October was 5,200 tons,
which is slightly less than the EMOP requirement. The reason for low
production was lack of packaging materials and some technical problems.
Cereal availability throughout the county is improving with the harvest of
main crops, although it has yet to reach down to household levels.

(b)  An inter-agency mission led by WFP Senior Deputy Executive Director
Mr Jean-Jacques Graisse held talks with the Government this week in
Pyongyang to discuss future ways of collaboration and coordination in view
of the 15 September announcement of the DPRK Government that it would not
participate in the annual Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP). Other members
of the mission were representatives from WHO, UNICEF and OCHA. The mission
also visited the Port of Nampo to witness the discharge of a cereal
donation.

(c)  With the recent arrival of large contributions, WFP is for the first
time in two years able to feed all its beneficiaries with planned rations.
Substantive new pledges of cereals will allow WFP to continue this support
until May 2005, with the exception of oil that will run out as early as
January for some beneficiary groups.



G)  Latin America and the Caribbean: (1) Bolivia (2) Colombia, (3)
Ecuador, (4) Guatemala, (5) Haiti, (6) Nicaragua

1)  Bolivia

(a)  Upon the passing of the hydrocarbons law, miners, peasants and coca
growers left the city of La Paz last weekend after several days of
protests. La Paz is now slowly recovering calm and order. Latest social
unrest has not interrupted WFP's activities.

(b)  Due to the next municipal elections, food-for-work and
food-for-training distributions under the Country Programme's component of
Support to Food and Livelihoods Security, have been suspended from 15
October to 6 December. Municipalities are major implementing partners of
the distributions under this activity.

(c)  IRA-EMOP 10395.0 distributions are expected to finalize on 8
November.  Affected people will need further assistance until the next
harvest in May 2005. A new EMOP 10392.0, Prolonged Drought in El Chaco
Region was approved last week. Under this EMOP, WFP plans to distribute
about 2,605 tons of food to 42,200 beneficiaries from November 2004
through May 2005.

(d)  The UNDMT is preparing a Joint Flash Appeal for USD 1.8 million to
support drought affected people in the El Chaco Region. The appeal -to be
submitted to OCHA- includes food, water and seed assistance.  According to
the appeal, WFP is requesting approximately USD 920,000 to provide food
support to 42,200 people during a 7 month period (November 2004 to May
2005)

(e)  The government will shortly organize a meeting with donors in order
to present the planning to assist victims. WFP is also contacting the
donor community in pursuit of local resources.


2)  Colombia

(a)  Colombia's armed forces blew up 6,800 stockpiled land mines last
Sunday 24 October, launching an effort to eventually rid the country of
the weapons. The unprecedented act was aimed at underscoring Colombia's
commitment to destroying all state-owned mines, even though illegal rebels
who have battled the government for 40 years have increasingly used mines.

(b)  Floods and landslides in Colombia have left at least five people
dead, 15 injured and thousands homeless since the rain season started in
the country in late September. Heavy rains have caused 34 floods and nine
landslides, destroying 49 houses and damaging 730 others, mainly in the
provinces of Antioquia, Bolivar, Sucre, Cordoba, Atlantico, Magdalena and
Cundinamarca. About 57,000 people were left homeless, including more than
18,000 children. A state of emergency has been declared in many localities
in the aftermath of heavy floods last week.  The rain season is expected
to end in late November.

(c)  Leftist rebels have expressed their intention to talk with
representatives of the Roman Catholic Church to seek help in facilitating
an exchange with the government of kidnapped hostages for jailed
guerrillas. Officials of the Roman Catholic Church's National
Reconciliation Commission have not expressed their opinion about this
issue yet.

(d)  In the context of the PRRO 10158, Assistance to People Displaced by
Violence, last week WFP distributed 250 metric tons of food in 10
provinces.  These commodities were distributed in community kitchens and
under food for crisis, food-for-work, food-for-training, nutritional
recovery and expectant and nursing mothers activities.


3)  Ecuador

(a)  The multi-sectorial committee in charge of the national study for the
"El Nino" Phenomenon (ENFEN) informed that in the next three months and
according to recent conditions observed, the presence of the phenomenon is
not confirmed, however, slightly warmer conditions are predicted in the
northern coastal area of Peru starting November this year.

(b)  On 15 October, the Presidents of Ecuador and Colombia met in
Esmeraldas, Ecuador, to discuss 12 main topics related to northern border
issues. Agreements reached ware supposed to regulate the development of
bi-national social projects, Colombian refugee issues and drug production
and trafficking.

(c)  WFP Ecuador participated in the regional meeting Colombia + 3,
organized by UNICEF's Regional Office with presence of UN country teams
from Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador and Colombia. Issues related to Colombia
refugees were discussed at the meeting in order to establish UN
cooperation to governments dealing with social, political, environmental
and economic struggles caused by displaced Colombians in each of these
countries.

(d)  An OCHA mission visited the UN in Ecuador to review the disaster
response capacity of IASC agencies and national and international
organizations in Ecuador.  This mission acknowledged the importance of the
current interagency team work coordinated by WFP as well as of the
two-year establishment of the Multilateral Donor Working Group for Risk
Reduction. The mission also found a need to strengthen the country's
response capacity by means of institutionalization, and recommended the UN
to take the opportunity of providing support to the government in
coordinating a national policy for disaster reduction management. Other
countries selected for this OCHA review are Armenia, Iran, Madagascar and
Nepal.


4)  Guatemala

(a)  The Secretariat of the Central American Farming Council has
forecasted adverse weather conditions for farming during the first half of
2005 as a result of a short and weak "El Nino" phenomenon. The accumulated
impact of crop losses during the first harvest this year and eventual crop
losses next year due to "El Nino" constitute cause of concern, as the
situation may have a significant impact on the poorest sectors of the
population, particularly among children already suffering from chronic
malnutrition.

(b)  Serious subsidence caused by recent rains triggered a 15 meter-long
collapse of one lane in the road between Quetzaltenango and the Southern
Coast, disrupting access to certain areas. In addition, inhabitants of the
communities of El Porvenir, El Zompopero, and Sector II of Las Pilas,
province of Retalhuleu, were cut off as a result of the collapse of two
bridges, which joined them with the provincial capital.

(c)  On occasion of the 60th anniversary of the October 1944 Revolution,
thousands of farmers and workers marched in various provinces and the
capital, where they expressed their opposition to a Free Trade Agreement
signed with the US, rising prices, and to agrarian conflict, among others.
In addition bus fare increase that disrupted access to and from certain
areas in the capital and some provinces incited other protests.

(d)  Food distribution under the relief component of PRRO 10212, Targeted
Food Assistance for Persons Affected by Shocks and the Recovery of
Livelihoods, continued during the past week. A total of 155 tons of maize,
beans, CSB and vegetable oil were dispatched to several Community
Distribution Centers in the Northwest, to contribute to the nutritional
recovery of children, pregnant and lactating women, and their families
suffering from recurring shocks. This will benefit around 1,845 families
(9,225 beneficiaries) over a two-month period.


5)  Haiti

(a)  The security situation has been tense throughout the country this
week. Since last week, the whole of Haiti is in UN security phase III.
Non essential UN staff as well as families have been relocated. In Port au
Prince, a policeman was killed on Sunday in the Bel Air area, a stronghold
of Aristide sympathizers during a joint Haitian police - MINUSTAH
operation meant to root out gangs.  Gangs have sought to destabilize the
capital city since the demonstrations of 30 September.

(b)  Some vehicles from relief organizations in Gonaives were attacked
leaving the CARE warehouse, and increased tensions throughout the city are
complicating food distributions.

(c)  While the situation in the port of Port-au-Prince is still erratic,
WFP was able to retrieve 25 containers this week. WFP continues to work
closely with the Government and the MINUSTAH, which has put in place
patrols and checkpoints in the troubled areas around the port, to find a
durable solution.  Indeed, this situation has had a serious impact on the
quantity of food commodities that WFP could dispatch to Gonaives and has
brought to a halt all the other WFP operations in the country. In order to
increase the stock balance in Gonaives, WFP has resorted this week to
local transporters in addition to its own fleet.

(d)  Since the onset of the crisis, a total of some 2,120 tons of food
commodities have been distributed in Gonaives and the surrounding affected
areas. During the reporting period, about 130 tons of commodities were
distributed to 36,600 beneficiaries.

(e)  During the past week, a total of over 110 tons of food commodities
(one-week rations) have been distributed by WFP's implementing partner
CARE to 35,000 beneficiaries in Gonaives, thus bringing the total of food
distributed in this city since the onset of the crisis to almost 1,970
tons.

(f)  WFP and CARE have established vulnerability criteria for the targeted
distributions to vulnerable groups, which will replace the general food
distributions in Gonaives as of the beginning of November.  Distributions
in one site per day in areas of the town that used to be inaccessible, as
practiced over the past week, will enable WFP's implementing partner CARE
to ease the transition to distributions to vulnerable groups and finalize
the targeting. This will also permit to replenish the stocks before
starting the targeted food distributions.

(g)  During last week, a total of about 18 tons of food commodities
(one-month rations) have been distributed by WFP to 1,600 beneficiaries in
the communes of Bourg Pilate and Plaisance, thus bringing to 150 tons the
total of food distributed since the onset of the crisis in the communes
surrounding Gonaives.  The first round of distributions of one-month
rations to the affected communes around Gonaives as well as in Port de
Paix has now been completed.

(h)  WFP and IFRC have coordinated their actions in the communes in the
north of Gonaives. While WFP concentrated on Chansolme and Basin Bleu in
the North West as well as Pilate and Plaisance in the North, IFRC will
distribute food rations to 3,500 persons in Ennery.


6)  Nicaragua

(a)  A delegation from the Organization of American States arrived at
Nicaragua in an attempt to mitigate the country's governance crisis. The
political actors in the countries have agreed to enter in a national
dialogue in order to resolve the crisis.

(b)  During the past week the data collection in the field for the
systematized rapid evaluation of the effects of the drought and general
food security situation terminated. The data are being processed.

(c)  Food distributions under the IRA/EMOP to affected families of the
Cerro Musun mudslide in Rio Blanco and Matiguas will terminate this week.

(d)  Food distributions under PRRO 10212.0 continue. Currently, under this
PRRO, a total of over 67,465 school children are being assisted in the
autonomous RAAN province and about 11,495 school children in the
municipality of Matagalpa. In addition, over 10,025 vulnerable children
under 2 years of age; spme 8,730 expectant and nursing women and 2,000
poor rural families are also being assisted in the northern and central
region of the country.

(e)  PRRO 10212.0 will face shortfalls in the forthcoming months,
beginning in October, of rice, beans, vegetable oil and maize. If no
commodities are announced in the coming months or those that are announced
arrive late, the PRRO will face serious pipeline breaks in the first
quarter of year 2005.


Note: All tonnage figures in this report refer to metric tons (MT).

END WFP Emergency Report No. 44, 2004


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