FAO/WFP crop and food supply assessment

A new crop and food supply assessment by the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme
(WFP) says that 60,000 mt of emergency food aid was needed for 650,000 people in flood affected areas and for people in areas which had experienced crop failures.

"Districts that have experienced significant production losses are generally located along the river basins, wetlands, mangroves and swamps of the southern and central Mozambique," the assessment noted.

It added that WFP assistance would be primarily targeted to the most vulnerable populations living in the flood affected areas and isolated from the markets by the destruction caused by the floods.

The country was swept by the worst floods in living memory following cyclones in February and March.

Agriculture

Overall, the national food supply in 2000/01 was expected to remain satisfactory, the assessment said. Floods and excessive rains devastated cereal production in southern areas, but these normally account for only 13 percent of total production. In the main growing areas of northern and central Mozambique, a good harvest has been obtained despite lower yields in some parts.

"However, the overall food supply situation masks serious differences between regions. In the north and central regions, where there are substantial maize stocks, food prices are falling and cassava production has been satisfactory. In the south, by contrast, even if the second season crop were good, total food production will be substantially lower than last year
and food prices are on the increase," it said.

According to the report, 167,000 hectares of land have been lost to floods, about 6 percent of total food crop plantings of the first season. "In the worst flood affected provinces of Maputo and Gaza this represents 41 percent and 25 percent respectively. In addition 43,000 hectares were lost to dry weather in northern parts raising the area lost in the first season to 7
percent of the area planted," the report said.

It estimated that nearly three million hectares of land used to cultivate cereals, cassava and other food crops were lost, suggesting a "sharp decline of 15 percent" in comparison to last year's harvest.

Weather patterns

Irregular rainfall patterns, dry spells and extreme rain at flowering time as well as intermittent waterlogging have "seriously" reduced maize yields throughout the south and southern-central provinces, the assessment said. This led to 50 to 100 percent crop failure in the provinces of Gaza, Maputo
and limited parts of Inhambane. A 100 percent maize failure was noted in Buzi in Sofala Province and Machaze in Manica Province.

A significant maize crop failure was also noted in Chibabava (Sofala Province), Sussudenga, Mossuruze, Macossa and Tambara (Manica Province). Bean crops have suffered similarly in the same provinces," it said.

"A production of 880,000 mt of maize is estimated from the first season. Other cereals comprising sorghum, millet and rice are forecast at 438,000 mt of which 60 percent is sorghum. Bean production is estimated at 117,000 mt. Cassava production suggests that 4.64 million mt of fresh material will be
available for consumption," the assessment said.

This year's cyclones in March have decreased cashew production in Maganje da Costa (Zambezia) and Maputo province by estimated 50 percent. Elsewhere, the effect may not have been so dramatic, the report noted, but lower yields are expected. Around 42, 000 mt of sugar cane were lost in Maputo Province.

Livestock

Assessments suggest that an estimated 20,000 cattle were lost during the floods. Other stock numbers lost have yet to be verified but it is anticipated that losses of small ruminants, from all affected districts in the southern provinces of Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane are significantly high, reducing the income generating opportunities livestock production normally offers, the report said.

The FAO/WFP assessment report can be found at:
http://www.fao.org/GIEWS/english/alertes/2000/SRMOZ500.htm