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Ebola Threatens Million with Food Insecurity

by Joe DeCapua December 17, 2014

Ebola continues to attack Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone on several fronts. While infections and deaths rise, the disease is posing a greater threat to food security. U.N. agencies warn that more than one-million people could be food insecure by March unless action is not taken now.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, World Food Program and the governments of the three countries have just surveyed the food security situation. A joint statement calls for "drastically improved access to food," as well as measures to "safeguard" both crop and livestock production.

Alexander Jones, Chief of FAO's Donor Relations and Resource Mobilization, said, "Obviously, the most urgent priority of FAO and all of our U.N. partners is to stop the epidemic and the loss of life that's caused by it. But we also need to keep in mind that there is a need to reduce the food security impacts of this crisis, which are equally challenging. This is having both direct and indirect impacts on millions of people in the three main affected countries in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone."

The U.N. agencies said access to food has been blocked by border closings, quarantines, hunting bans and transport restrictions. Livelihoods have been disrupted and food markets have been closed for long periods.

Jones said that the harvesting and processing of food has either slowed or stopped in some places.

"These are countries of course which have a very large rural agricultural sector. It's taking labor force away from these areas. Normally, during harvest and other critical agricultural seasons there's a large inflow of population from other areas. And obviously this is not happening with all the quarantines and movement limitations placed on them. So, there's an absolute lack of labor force in this area," he said.

Farmworkers no longer have the salaries they did prior to the outbreak. Their lack of spending is also contributing to an economic slowdown in the countries.

The FAO's Jones said farmers that are able to produce some crops are having a tough time selling them.

"So, we're seeing that prices in production areas are dropping and they're rising in consumption areas. So, typically, rural areas have less income with which to buy things they need and urban areas are seeing price increases."

Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone have been forced to import more food – and are not able to export crops to neighboring countries as they have in the past.

The FAO and the Africa Solidarity Trust Fund have donated more than $3-million dollars to food security efforts. But officials said millions of dollars more will be needed.

Meanwhile, the World Food Program's Emergency Response Coordinator – Denise Brown – described the Ebola outbreak as "a wake-up call for the world." She said, "While working with partners to make things better, we must be prepared for them to get worse."

To make things better, U.N. agencies are trying to "re-establish the farm system in the three countries." This includes distribution of seeds and fertilizer, better agricultural methods to help compensate for labor shortages and cash transfers or vouchers to allow people "to buy food and help stimulate markets."

Currently, it's estimated 520,000 people are severely food insecure in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. U.N. officials say without urgent action that number could double by March.