Kenya faces crop failure in coming season, warns FAO

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 favourable 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.

reflecting an erratic start of the rainy season.

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.