Twenty-four of the 38 countries seriously affected around the world were in Africa, seven were in Asia and five in Latin America, it said. But in the European zone, food was lacking only in Russia's strife-torn republic of Chechnya and in Serbia-Montenegro, which has a refugee crisis.

In eastern Africa, inadequate rainfall had left 7.2 million people facing shortages in Ethiopia and 3.6 million in Sudan, the FAO said. Another 1.9 million were affected in Eritrea, 1.6 million in Tanzania and as many in Uganda, 1.2 million in Kenya and 580 000 in Somalia, it said.

"Overall, the food security situation of a large number of people affected by civil strife and drought in the region is highly precarious," it said.

Shortages loomed in all other regions of Africa, except the countries around the rim of the Sahara desert known as the Sahel.

"The 2003 aggregate cereal production for the nine Sahelian countries has been estimated at a record 14.3 million tonnes, some 2.9 million tonnes higher than the above-average crop of 11.4 million tonnes harvested in 2002," the report said.

"Production was significantly above average in all countries except Cape Verde."

Around the world, in many countries, "food shortages are being compounded by the effect of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on food production, marketing and transport," the report said.

TERRA.WIRE