The food supply situation is tight for large numbers of people in rural areas following two consecutive reduced cereal harvests and delayed imports. Import requirements in 2002/03 (May/April) were estimated by an FAO/WFP Mission in May 2002 at 626 000 tonnes. The Government made arrangements with the private sector for duty-free importation of 350 000 tonnes of maize, but in mid-August private millers revised down their import plans to 150 000 tonnes. By early September only 43 000 tonnes had entered the country. So far maize stocks in the main mills are adequate to cover requirements until December and prices in urban areas have remained relatively stable, although well above their levels of a year ago. However, there is need to contract additional commercial imports to avoid a sharp increase in prices in the coming months.
A recent follow-up vulnerability assessment undertaken by SADC in collaboration with international agencies has raised the number of people in need of relief assistance from 2.33 millions to 2.9 million and the food aid needs to 224 000 tonnes. Against this requirement, only 21 700 tonnes had been received by early September. The country has rejected large US food aid supplies produced with genetically modified organisms (GMOs), pending the results of the Government’s assessment of the safety of such foods. The food situation of the farming population which gathered a poor harvest as well as the urban poor is critical. Prices of maize are increasing rapidly, undermining access to food. WFP is considering giving Zambia food aid in the form of wheat which is not genetically modified, instead of maize.