Food shortage looms in Nepal due to floods: FAO

Nepal and some other South Asian nations are on the verge of serious shortage of food due to recent flash floods and landslides that affected more than 28 million people, UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said Saturday.

According to FAO, food situation in the region gives “serious cause for concern” because of the loss of animals and unfavorable crop prospects following damage to recently planted crops.

“Opportunities for replanting once the water has fully receded are limited as the sowing period of the main cereal season normally ends in July in India and Bangladesh and by mid-August in Nepal,” a FAO news release said.

Terai, the country’s grain basket, which accounts for over 70 percent of the total production of rice, was ravaged by flash floods recently. Though water levels have receded from the second week of August, thousands of hectares of agricultural land have been destroyed at the peak of the planting season.

While a detailed assessment of crop losses is not yet available, the overall outlook for this year’s production has deteriorated, the UN agency said. nepalnews.com mk Aug 19 07