The 2003/04 season has been a tough one for Southern African agriculture, with countries experiencing both drought and flood conditions within the same crop-growing season, says the latest food security brief of the Famine Early Warning Systems Network.
Overall, improved rainfall from January through to March brought about an improvement in crop-growing conditions and was beneficial to the late planted crop, and, where applicable, a second season crop.
The network said satellite imagery depicting percentage of rainfall received indicated that most parts of the region have received between 75% and 125% of the normal rainfall, except for parts of Angola, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland and South Africa that have received less than 75%.
Southern African’s main staple crop, maize, requires rainfall in the range between 500ml and 800ml.
The network said many countries were reporting a significant amount of late plantings as a result of the late onset and erratic rainfall that necessitated multiple plantings.
Higher prices, driven by weather worries, also encouraged second- season cultivation.
In contrast, however, the network said that recent flooding along the banks of the main river systems, especially in Zambia and Namibia as a result of heavy downpours, had raised concerns that crop yields could be further reduced, as some crop lands have been washed away.
Projected regional maize availability has improved mainly as a result of increased harvest expectations in South Africa, where total supply — production plus opening stocks — was now expected to reach 9,85-million tons.
As a result, the commercial shortfalls in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland and Mozambique could be adequately covered with the South African exportable surplus, estimated at 1,93-million tonnes.
Although official forecasts were still to be released in most countries, preliminary assessments from Namibia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe indicated significant improvements in production prospects.
The major concern is food access for poor people facing above-normal food prices. — I-Net Bridge