Ethiopia: WFP and EC to finalize a cereals availability survey

WFP and EC are currently finalizing a Cereals Availability Survey to examine the full potential for local purchases of cereals.
Local purchase of food commodities can enhance the purchasing power of farmers and reinstate the flow of food from surplus to deficit areas, as well as supplying people in need of food aid. With a good overall harvest and local surpluses in many areas of the country, there will be significant opportunities for local purchases during 2004. Donors and other organizations are urged to their utmost to meet food aid needs, to the extent possible, through local purchases. If procurement is effected (or announced) in the early months of 2004, this will help to stabilize prices and benefit farmers.

With 2004 cereal requirements at over 700,000 tons (under the 2004 Humanitarian Appeal for Ethiopia, released December 2003), there is scope for local purchases to cover part of these needs. However, the extent to which local purchases are possible will depend a great deal on the donors' willingness to contribute in cash for relief food needs. Purchases of pulses and famix (fortified blended food) can also be bought in substantial quantities in Ethiopia.