Zimbabwe requires food assistance – The Financial Gazette
Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri
FOOD assistance will be required in Zimbabwe across most deficit crop-producing areas between August 2018 and January 2019 as a result of harsh weather conditions late last year, a food security agency has warned.
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) warned in a report for June 2018 that there was an imminent food security crisis in the southern, western and extreme northern parts of the country.
“At the national level, 2018 production combined with carryover stocks from the 2017 season will bring maize supplies to above-average levels. However, deficits are expected later in the marketing year. Maize prices are projected to remain below average until August/September and trend near the seasonal averages for the rest of the outlook period as demand increases,” FEWSNET said.
Crisis outcomes are projected once poor households deplete their food stocks in July/August. These area outcomes are expected through September in an increasing number of districts. Humanitarian assistance will be required to protect livelihoods.
“Early international forecasts for Southern Africa indicate increased probabilities for El Nino-induced below-average rainfall for the 2018/19 season. Although there is some uncertainty in this forecast, poor rains will likely affect livelihood activities from October 2018 to January 2019,” FEWSNET said.
“There is some uncertainty in this forecast. Based on the El Nino forecast and looking at relevant analogue years, below-average rainfall is most likely from October 2018 to January 2019. In addition, there is an increased probability for a late start of the rains in some areas, which are likely to be erratic in terms of spatial and temporal distribution.”
Zimbabwe has significant carryover stocks from the 2016/17 cropping season. The Grain Marketing Board is reported to be holding over one million tonnes from the 2017 harvests. Despite anticipated below-average to average 2017-18 national production, formal maize imports are expected to remain at below normal levels as carryover stocks and 2018 harvest supplies are expected to meet national demand.
“Some open markets have up to now continued to rely on 2017 maize harvest supplies, while others in traditionally deficit-production areas no longer have stocks. Supplies from the 2018 harvests are beginning to make it into the markets,” the report said.
As of June, the government drought relief programme continues to supply selected vulnerable households in rural communities with maize. These maize grain distributions were originally supposed to have ended in March.
“Own-produced cereal stocks (maize and small grains) for poor households in most southern and other typically deficit-production areas will last between one to three months. Some households will have no harvests. Household stocks for other crops such as groundnuts, round nuts, and cowpeas in these areas are also expected at below-average levels. By August, it is expected that own-produced food stocks would be depleted for most poor households,” FEWSNET said.