Southern Africa: Food security improves, cholera continues

(New York: 2 June 2006): The Southern African region is experiencing an overall improved harvest, as a result of a favourable 2005/2006 rainy season, according to the United Nations Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Support Office for the Special Envoy for Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa (UNRIACSO). April signalled the end of the hunger season in most of Southern Africa. In general, food security is improving due to the new crops in rural markets.
As food aid programmes are being scaled down, concerns still persist over the situation of chronically food insecure populations as well as those affected by localised dry spells, heavy rains, flooding and crop disease. In all countries, vulnerability assessments are in progress under the leadership of the National Vulnerability Assessment Committees (NVACS) to determine the requirements and numbers of vulnerable populations.

Even with the favourable rains in most parts of the Southern African region, average yields per hectare in most countries are low due to factors such as inferior seed, poor timing of farming operations, low and decreasing fertility, poor weed control and plant protection. Heavy rains in some countries, such as Mozambique, caused some cob rotting and sprouting of maize crops, which made harvesting difficult.

Countries apt to experience a food deficit include Zimbabwe, where despite the adequate rains, shortages in fertilizer and poor land preparation are expected to result in a shortfall. Areas in Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia have localised food shortages due to flooding and dry spells. Swaziland, due to lack of planting, is also faced with food insecurity.

Despite these gains, UNICEF reports that an alarming third of all children in Eastern/Southern Africa are underweight and undernourished. This marks an increase in the absolute number of underweight children since 1990. Of the 17 countries studied in Eastern/Southern Africa, only Botswana is likely to reach the target in the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) - to reduce poverty and hunger by half.

Meanwhile, 11 of Angola's 18 provinces have suffered from severe cholera outbreaks since February 2006. As of 24 May, a total of 39,267 cumulative cases and 1,451 deaths have been reported, with approximately half of the cases registered in Luanda. A Technical Commission on the Fight Against Cholera has been established by the Head of State to identify underlying factors of the epidemic and key humanitarian organizations have come together to assist in providing funds and supplies. In Zimbabwe, occurrences of cholera claimed 15 lives and infected 45 people in the northeastern town of Guruve. Shortages of drugs, staff and serviceable vehicles have impeded authorities from stamping out the epidemic.

For further information, please call: Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 917 892 1679; Kristen Knutson, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 9262; Elisabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570. OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.