The International Committee of the Red Cross has concluded after a survey of districts in western Nepal worst affected by conflict that there was "for the time being no acute food shortage" in the areas. ICRC staff visited areas under the sway of the Maoists as well as those under government control.

This conclusion contradicts media reports (including this paper, see "Famine by February", #120) that there was a looming food crisis in the districts of Bajura, Achham and Mugu. ICRC said there had been "alarming newspaper articles" in the Nepali media and there was little first-hand information from the area to confirm this.

"Agriculture was being pursued fairly normally and families' overall economic security remained comparable to that of normal times," ICRC said in a report released earlier this week. But it added that restrictions imposed by both parties, a chronically poor transport system, and insecurity arising from the fighting were all inhibiting commerce and transport.

It said that these factors could still precipitate an "acute crisis" in the area by preventing migrants from returning home with planting and harvesting. ICRC said it would refrain from large-scale food distribution in the areas of conflict so as not to undermine "existing coping mechanisms".