An estimated 3 million people, half of the total population of the country, are facing severe food access problems and are at risk of hunger and undernourishment, the report said. The country is very poor, with an estimated 85 percent of the population living below the poverty line. Access to food through self-production has been sharply reduced. There are not enough employment opportunities and other sources of income that would enable people to buy food from commercial vendors. Since 1997 cereal production has steadily declined as a result of persistent economic and security problems, lack of availability of quality seeds, and deterioration or breakdown of irrigation systems.
Agricultural machinery is in bad shape.
In addition, a severe drought has hit the country in the past months. Irrigated wheat has also been affected. Lack of rain, the chief source of water for crops, has also affected barley production and is constraining the yield of rice and maize. This is the third consecutive year since 1997 that output has declined, but this year's drop has been the largest. Cereal production will be sufficient to meet the national requirements for only 3 months.