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Four Million Face Food Crisis in Southern Africa

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Original Post Date: 2002-04-25 Time: 21:55:57  Posted By: Jan

Source: SABC News

Date posted:Wed 17-Apr-2002

Zimbabwe’s 2001 maize crop was down 28% on the previous year, mainly due to land seizures that had resulted in a 54% reduction in area planted on large- scale farms

More than four million people in Southern Africa face serious food shortages due to prolonged dry spells, floods and disruption of farming, the UN world food body said in Rome today.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said in a report that 19 countries in Africa were facing “exceptional food emergencies” for reasons ranging from civil strife, drought, excessive rain and flooding to population displacement.

“Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe are the worst afflicted, but the situation is also difficult in Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland,” FAO said in its tri-annual Food Supply Situation and Crop Prospects in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In Angola the food situation remained precarious due to the long-running civil conflict, the report said.

“A food crisis looms over several countries following sharp falls in maize production in 2001 and unfavourable harvest prospects this year.”

Stocks were depleted in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia and food prices had soared.

Maize production in Malawi declined by more than 33 % last year, mainly due to excessive rains and floods, and imports were seriously constrained by transport bottlenecks. “As a result maize prices have risen by over 300% since July last year,” the report added.

Malawi’s government has declared a state of emergency and appealed to the international community for food assistance to avert famine.

The report said the outlook for Zimbabwe’s food security was bleak in 2002/03 amid a continuing deterioration of the economy.

Zimbabwe’s 2001 maize crop was down 28% on the previous year, mainly due to land seizures that had resulted in a 54% reduction in area planted on large-scale farms.

The government planned to import up to 200,000 tonnes of maize, but only 10,000 tonnes had arrived by the end of March, mainly because of a severe shortage of foreign exchange.

The report said Zambia also faced an extremely tight food situation as a result of a poor cereal crop last season and delays in importing maize. The country has appealed for international food assistance for two million people, declaring a state of emergency in some districts.