Rome, 5 May 2006– Worldwide, 39 countries are in need of external food assistance -- the majority required for drought-affected and chronically food insecure populations in southern and eastern Africa, according to a new FAO report released today. World cereal production is forecast to decrease slightly in 2006 after last year's good levels, the report said.

According to the report in Mongolia there has been a sharply reduced cereal production in 2005/2006, which has led to the need of emergency assistance for the country. In general Mongolia is a nomadic pastoralistic country, where crop farming has dramatically decreased after the cut in Soviet support in the early 90's.

Elsewhere in Asia also emergency assistance is needed for Timor-Leste following comparable reduced cereal production in 2005/2006. Substantial amounts of food assistance are also required for chronically vulnerable populations in DPR Korea and Bangladesh, in spite of overall improved food supply situations, as well as for those affected by civil strife in Afghanistan, Iraq and Nepal, the report said.

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