3. - usaid

PERU
EVENT:
DroughtLFodd Shortage
IDCATION:
DISASTER VICTIMS:
Northern Peru
No. Needing Food Assistance
128,604
Lack of rains for many months in 1967-1968 developed drcught conditions
considered to be the worst in northern Peru during the past century. It
was estimated that the 1967-68 harvest would drop to abc~ut 45 percent of
the 1966-67 hatvest. The resultant reduction in emploplent of farm workers
was estimated at 11,433,260 man days, affecting 228,000 persons.
ACTION TAKEN BY THE GO-
OF PERU
By Supreme Decree dated May 10, 1968, President Belaunde declared an ma
encanpassed by the Department of Tumbes, Hura, Lambayeclue, La Libertad,
Cajamarca and Ancash as an emergency zone. To help meet; the emergency
feeding needs of 128,604 victims, the Govemnt of Pen1 requested that the
USG provide agricultural carmodities available under Tlt;le I1 of Public
Law 480. The GOP appointed a permanent c~sslon to study the ext9ent and
nature of the disaster. Ch June 7, 1968, the President of Peru. s-ed
Law 17037, whlch was passed by the Peruvlan Congress on the same day. The
law authorized the expenditure of S/270,000,000 (about $7 million) to be
used for public works projects in each department as fol-lows:
Tumbes
Hura
La~~Weque
La Libertad
W-a
Ancash
S/10 million
S/85 millian
S/55 million
S/70 million
s/30 million
S/20 million
Projects listed were mainly irrigation improvement, feecier roads and reforestation.
The law stated that 5% of the money ($350,,000) should be set
aside to cover the cost of internal trammortatlon of f c d donations to be
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