About 400,000 Swazis Face Starvation Following Drought – UN Food Agency

Text of report by Swazi newspaper The Times of Swaziland website on 24 May

[Report by INNOCENT MAPHALALA: "Drought Leaves 400 000 Starving"]

MBABANE – A shocking 400,000 Swazis need food assistance following the protracted dry spell that has ravaged the kingdom.

This figure represents more than a third of the national population, at least estimated E1.2 million [emalangeni].

A joint statement released by the Food Aid Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) says 2007 has seen the lowest annual harvest on record in the country.

The FAO is a United Nations (UN) department.

The statement says around 400 000 people will require at least 40,000 tonnes of food assistance to meet their needs from now until the next harvest in April 2008.

The report is based on a joint assessment mission to Swaziland by the two agencies – the first in a series conducted in Southern African countries.

“Maize production in 2006/07 is estimated at about 26,000 tonnes, nearly 60 per cent below last year’s level,” reads part of the statement issued yesterday.

“This will significantly reduce food availability, while the associated increase in maize prices will severely constrain many households’ access to food, especially as 69 per cent of Swazis live on less than one US dollar per day.”

The statement says extended dry conditions and ensuing water shortages caused some stress on livestock, but late rains improved pasture and animal conditions in most parts of the country.

Livestock production is expected to help cushion the impact on crop failure.

According to the statement, the high prevalence rate of HIV and AIDS will exacerbate the already severe impact of adverse weather through ill health, income inequality and poverty.

“Swaziland has the highest adult HIV infection rate in the world, estimated at 39.2 per cent among pregnant women attending ante- natal care centres,” says the statement.

The FAO/WFP assessment recommends a targeted approach for food aid, focusing on direct support to households with no access to sufficient food and agriculture inputs.

Timely provision of agricultural inputs, including seeds, fertilisers, credit facilities and access to tractors is also recommended to revive production capacity in time for the next cropping season, beginning in September.

The pattern of late rains over the past few years also requires a speedier uptake of appropriate farming strategies and techniques, such as small-scale irrigation, water harvesting and crop diversification.

The statement says prices of major cereals have also increased considerably in response to local short-ages and as a result of significant price increases in South Africa, the main exporter to Swaziland.

The upward trend in prices is expected to continue for the rest of this year as supplies from domestic and regional sources are also likely to be limited due to poor rainfall conditions in South Africa and other neighbouring countries.

(c) 2007 BBC Monitoring Africa. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.