The 2002 wheat crop, about to be harvested, is forecast at 213 000 tonnes. At this level, production is higher than anticipated but still 23 percent below the normal level of last year. The decline in this year’s output reflects late plantings and lower yields.
The food supply situation gives serious cause for concern. As a result of a 2002 maize harvest estimated at only one-quarter the normal level of 2000, due to unfavourable weather and disruption in the commercial sector, the country faces an unprecedented maize deficit of 1.7 million tonnes in 2002/03 (May/April). Against this, less than one-quarter had been imported by early September. Commercial imports amounted to 335 000 tonnes and food aid at only 71 000 tonnes. The Government is planning to import additional 650 000 tonnes of maize, while committed food aid amounts to 218 000 tonnes.
A recent vulnerability assessment conducted by SADC in collaboration with international agencies has revised the number of people in need of food assistance from 6 million estimated by the FAO/WFP Mission in May 2002, to 6.7 million. This represents almost half of the country’s population. Additional food aid pledges are urgently required as coping mechanisms of the vulnerable population are becoming exhausted and malnutrition is reported on the increase. Drought-affected farmers are also in urgent need of seeds for planting during the next main cropping season starting in November.