§ John BarrettTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on water shortages in Mauritania. [167827]
§ Hilary BennMauritania is a low-income food deficit country which is vulnerable to drought and desertification. A large proportion of the population relies on agricultural production to satisfy its food and income needs. During drought periods, people have severe difficulties in meeting their food requirements, either through direct production or through recourse to alternative sources of income.
DFID has provided significant humanitarian assistance to Mauritania in recent years in response to the severe drought and resultant food shortages. In 2002–03 DFID contributed £1 million to the World Food Programme's regional appeal, which covered five countries in the region. but was mainly focused on Mauritania where the drought situation was most severe. DFID also contributed £0.5 million to an Oxfam appeal focused on the most badly affected areas in the South of the country.
According to the latest FAO reports the overall food security situation in the country remains satisfactory. However there is a desert locust outbreak currently under way in northern Mauritania which may mean that crop production figures will have to be revised downwards to take account of the impact of possible pest damage.
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