FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops & Shortages 02/02 - ZAMBIA (14 February)
The food supply situation is tight following a sharply reduced 2001 cereal crop. Excessive rains and floods in parts and dry weather in the south adversely affected production of maize, the country’s main staple. Output of wheat also declined due to reduced plantings. Maize prices have risen substantially since early June, when they should normally be declining. Severe food shortages are reported in several rural locations and in urban areas. The Government has made arrangements to import 150 000 tonnes of maize to be sold at subsidized prices, but less than a quarter had arrived in the country by late January due to transport constraints in the sub-region. By mid-February it has imposed prices controls on maize meal. The Government has also appealed for international food assistance and has distributed 5 000 tonnes of maize from its Food Reserve. WFP is assisting almost 1.3 million worst affected people in targeted districts and plans to distribute 42 000 tonnes of maize until the next harvest.
The outlook for the 2002 maize crop is uncertain. A prolonged dry spell in December and January in Southern, Central, Eastern and parts of Lusaka provinces, which stressed developing crops in parts, was followed by abundant rains in the second dekad of January, but the dry weather resumed in the third dekad. More rains are needed in these areas in the coming weeks. By contrast, normal rains have been received in the northern parts of the country.