| |
Back to Index
Zimbabwe
food security update
Famine Early Warning System
Network (FEWSNET)
February 29, 2008
http://www.fews.net/docs/Publications/Zimbabwe_2008_02%20final.pdf
(Direct link to 6 page PDF)
Download
this document
- Acrobat
PDF version (442KB)
If you do not have the free Acrobat reader
on your computer, download it from the Adobe website by clicking
here.
Summary
- Since the
imposition of price
controls last year, supplies of staple cereals have remained
erratic and inadequate on most formal markets throughout the country.
A few commodities such as milk and bread have become more available
in January 2008, though the selling prices are unaffordable to
most poor households.
- Food security
in urban areas remains critical given the shortages and erratic
supplies of basic commodities on the formal market and inadequate
humanitarian support in these areas.
- Both the
Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) and humanitarian agencies have performed
to satisfaction in moving cereals into the country. The outstanding
national cereal deficit for the current marketing year (278,000
MT) is likely to be met.
- WFP and C-SAFE
have continued supporting vulnerable households in grain deficit
rural areas. In December 2007, the humanitarian agencies scaled
up their programs covering over 3.8 million people, and increased
to 4.1 million in January 2008, over 60 percent of the population
in those districts receiving food aid.
- The adverse
impact of heavy rainfall on this season's maize crop is
evident throughout the country, including the country's
major maize production areas. These poor crop conditions have
also been worsened by the absence of top dressing fertilizer,
and crops throughout the country are showing signs of nitrogen
deficiency.
Overall, yields for all crops are likely to be lower this season
compared to those achieved last season. According to the Crop
and Food Supply Assessment Mission, last season's maize
harvest left a deficit of about 891,000 MT. While the total area
planted to major crops, including maize, is higher this agricultural
season than the area planted to same crops same time last year,
it most likely that current season will leave a higher national
maize deficit.
- Almost all
parts of the country received cumulative rainfall amounts well
above their long term average for the period from September to
December. Rainfall became heavier and more frequent from mid November
2007. Overall, December 2007 was the wettest December ever in
the recorded history of Zimbabwe.
- Since the
beginning of the rainy season, more than 15,000 people have been
affected by floods. These floods have damaged roads, washed away
bridges, and destroyed houses, crops and livestock. Farmers in
some districts throughout the country are experiencing water logging
problems, with fields submerged in water. This situation is likely
to intensify as more heavy rains are expected in the remaining
part of the 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
|
