Woman selling corn in Godief, Asmara © Dr. M. Ashaq Raza

The lack of reliable humanitarian data available in Eritrea is of most concern in the context of food security. Much of the country is semi-arid, weather patterns are unpredictable and some of the most fertile regions are minefields. About 80% of the population lives in rural areas, the majority being poor subsistence farmers and nomadic herdsmen. Even in years of favourable rainfall, crop yields meet no more than 60%-70% of the country's needs. It is unclear whether the government has been able to purchase food imports during 2008 when prices have been rocketing.

Eritrea has a long history of droughts and, after the failure of seasonal rainfall every year in the period 2001-2004, assistance from the world community was mobilised to feed more than 2 million people, two-thirds of its population. With the feeding programme in full swing in 2005, Eritrea embarked on a radical change of strategy. Citing the dangers of dependency on food aid, the government launched a philosophy of self-sufficiency, backed by a programme of modernisation of agriculture.

Supplies belonging to the World Food Programme were confiscated and a "work-for-food" programme installed in its place. The situation for those unable to work is uncertain. Three successive years of good rains have prevented catastrophe but a 2007 UN report estimated that 70%-80% of people were short of food essentials. Harvests in 2008 have been less favourable and the government has appealed for a spirit of sharing resources. The reality appears to be that food is in short supply, being sold in government shops in far from generous rations.

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