Southern Africa still requires substantial food aid – UN reports

In what they called a “stark finding,” two United Nations agencies reported today that Southern Africa still requires substantial food aid despite producing more than during last year's severe food crisis.

As a whole, the six countries covered in the reports – Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia – produced enough food to meet more than two-thirds of the region’s requirements, but production has been uneven, with Zimbabwe producing barely enough to meet 40 per cent of its needs, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said.

Over the next year, the six countries will need to import nearly 2.6 million tons to meet minimum needs. Surpluses in South Africa far exceed this amount and cross-border trade among other countries will continue to take place. In addition, for the region to resume agricultural growth, increased and carefully targeted support will be needed for the agriculture sectors, the reports add.

The findings of the joint FAO/WFP assessment missions were announced at a meeting in Johannesburg today of UN agencies, government representatives, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), donors, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) examining the humanitarian assistance needs in southern Africa.

Zimbabwe faces acute shortages, with 5.5 million people in need of aid, according to the reports. Production has fallen by more than half, measured against a five-year average, due mostly to the current social, economic and political situation, and drought. As a result, about half the regional deficit of 2.65 million tons is in Zimbabwe, which will need to import almost 1.3 million tons commercially or through food aid to meet minimum needs.

In Mozambique, production surged in the north but parts of the south and central regions continue to face serious shortages affecting 949,000 people. Some areas in Swaziland and Lesotho also continue to face shortages. In Malawi, crop production has improved significantly since widespread shortages in 2002, leaving a shortfall of only 90,000 tons. In Zambia, cereal production is estimated at 1.3 million tons, almost double the output of last year.

Other reasons for continued food aid assistance, despite increased overall availability, are household vulnerability caused by the on-going HIV/AIDS pandemic, according to the reports. Infection rates in southern Africa are the highest in the world, making those infected all the more vulnerable to health complications and death when food shortages occur.