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FAO/WFP CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENT MISSION TO THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA - 29 June 1999

Year of publication 1999

Author Trade and Markets Division

Product type Book (stand-alone)

Series title Special Reports and Alerts

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) The combination of natural disasters from 1995 to 1997, which crippled the agricultural sector, and deepening economic slowdown since the early 1990s which has eroded national capacity to import food, essential inputs and energy, have severely undermined food security in DPR Korea. Unfortunately, efforts by the country to redress the chronic food problems through meticulous planning and intensive management of agriculture have had limited long term benefits in view of the scale of the problem an d its root causes. Irrespective of the incredibly high level of emphasis and care that is given to food production nationally, food output this year, even under an optimistic weather scenario, will remain well below needs as productivity remains highly constrained by lack of land and sufficient fertiliser and energy for mechanisation and irrigation on which the sector depends heavily. In view of the scale and depth of the problem, and in order to help the country attain greater food security, bo th short and long term measures, with international support, continue to be required. In addition to ongoing emergency food assistance to meet immediate needs, it is imperative that international support be provided for recovery and rehabilitation in agriculture to ensure longer term food security.

Language English

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    Compared to 1995,1996 and 1997, when floods and drought caused extensive damage to food production, 1998 and 1999 saw relative stability. However, production trends during these years, indicate that DPR Korea has entered an era of relatively low input low output agriculture. Even in the absence of major natural hazards, therefore, domestic food production will remain well below minimum needs due to serious lack of investment and essential inputs into agriculture. Despite substantial improvement in 1999, fertilizer availability remains well below requirements. Fuel and energy for critical mechanised operations are in very short supply, whilst large numbers of tractors and machines are inoperable due to lack of spare parts and replacement. These, in turn, are due to serious economic contraction and critical shortage of foreign exchange for necessary purchases of inputs and food. Shortage of capital has resulted in severely reduced land and labour productivity, whilst more and more operat ions are becoming labour intensive. Overall, therefore, under prevailing constraints, the country has serious problems of maintaining agricultural production and food supply.
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    FAO/WFP CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENT MISSION TO THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA - 25 June 1998 1998
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    Extensive floods in 1995 and 1996 coupled with the worst drought in decades in 1997, crippled the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s agriculture and its ability to feed its population. This series of natural disasters came on top of several years of economic slowdown and stagnation, which had already led to falling productivity and production in agriculture and dramatically reduced food availability. An adequate volume of essential inputs could not be supplied (imported or manufactured) to service intensive agriculture, whilst low foreign reserves meant that sufficient food could not be imported to meet the deficit. Consequently the country has had to rely heavily on international food assistance. In view of the fragile food supply prospects and to keep the international community continuously appraised of the situation, a four member FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited Korea DPR from 2 - 12 June. The objectives of the Mission were to assess the food situati on as the country enters the lean season and to review early prospects for food grain, harvest of which begins in September/October. The Mission follows an earlier one in October 1997 which warned of a grim food outlook for the country for 1998, with food production expected to cover minimum needs for only 7 months - up to May this year.
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    Book (stand-alone)
    FAO/WFP CROP AND FOOD SUPPLY ASSESSMENT MISSION TO THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA - 24 July 2000 2000
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    Although there are encouraging signs that the relaxation of trade and economic sanctions imposed on DPR Korea and prospects of greater economic interaction with other countries in the region, will undoubtedly have a positive impact on longer term food security in the country, the current food supply situation still remains precarious, particularly amongst vulnerable groups. Approaching its sixth year of food shortages, therefore, the country still requires large scale food assistance to ensure a dequate nutritional standards, especially for children, pregnant women and the elderly. The period between May/June and October is crucial to food supply prospects as it corresponds to the beginning of the lean food supply period, when food stocks are traditionally at their lowest, and also the start of the main crop season on which the country depends heavily for domestic food production. Crop losses, as in 1995 to 1997 due to natural disasters, therefore can have a devastating effect on food a vailability. In view of the importance of this period, a joint FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited DPR Korea from 20 June to 1 July, to review the situation in relation to available food supplies, the nutritional health of the population and early prospects for 2000 production. The mission also had an opportunity of reviewing findings of an earlier assessment mission in October last year at the time of the main harvest, at which time a projection was made for food supply pros pects for the 1999/2000 marketing year (Nov/Oct).
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