|
Back to Index
FEWS
Southern Africa food security update Nov 2007 - Food supplies
tighten as hunger season sets in
Famine Early Warning System
Network (FEWSNET)
November 29, 2007
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/RMOI-79E3WN?OpenDocument
Download
this document
- Acrobat
PDF version (364KB)
If you do not have the free Acrobat reader
on your computer, download it from the Adobe website by clicking
here.
This report
covers the period from 10/31/2007 to 11/29/2007
Current reports
indicate a general tightening of food supplies throughout the region
as the hunger season sets in. However, food security conditions
continue to be mixed; with the situation remaining generally stable
in surplus producing countries; while conditions will deteriorate
further in deficit countries as the hunger period intensifies between
now and February.
FAO/WFP and
VAC assessments indicated that from July 2007 until March 2008,
401,200 people in Lesotho were expected to face food shortages,
407,000 in Swaziland, and up to 4.1 million in Zimbabwe. Most of
the households identified in these assessments have already exhausted
their meager food reserves and some are now employing negative coping
strategies. In Mozambique, the GAV estimated that 520,000 people,
mostly in the south, are would require food assistance from July
through March 2008. Food security conditions in areas identified
as food insecure have remained moderate mainly due to a combination
of a good second season crop and on-going humanitarian interventions.
In Malawi, Tanzania,
Zambia, and northern Mozambique, the food security situation remains
satisfactory, due to above average harvests and sizable carryover
stocks from the previous season. Consequently, staple food prices
have remained stable, and although rising seasonably, are lower
when compared to the past five-year average, facilitating adequate
food access for market dependant households.
Available data
suggests that Malawi, Zambia and Tanzania have already exported
significant quantities in intra-regional trade with neighboring
deficit countries including South Africa. However, overall availability
cannot meet the full needs of the region's grain deficit countries;
in addition, the limited intra-regional market and transport infrastructure,
and the costs involved means that deficit countries will still need
to import substantial quantities from overseas.
The rainfall
season is currently being established in southern Africa, and significant
rainfall was received mainly in the northern and the southern parts
of the sub-region, with the central parts receiving little to no
rainfall. Many farmers have taken advantage of the early rains and
have started field activities, mainly land preparation. It is critical
that adequate inputs be availed to all farmers and especially in
vulnerable households so that they can take advantage of the normal
rainfall that has been forecast for most parts of the region this
season.
Download
full document
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|
