Half a million may go hungry

Some families in Namibia have already run out of food, and many more will follow if something is not done soon, according to the country's Emergency Management Unit (EMU).

An EMU report said that nearly a half million people will require emergency food aid in Namibia in the coming months.

The report, based on a crop and food supply assessment mission in June, said total cereal output in 2001/02 is estimated at 37,300 mt, which was only 49 percent of last season and less that the 38,500 mt produced in 1997/1998, which was declared a drought year.

Although drought was the main reason for food shortages, the report found that there was also a shortage of agricultural inputs and damage to grain by small animals.

The region hardest hit by this year's poor harvest is Caprivi where forecasted yields of rain-fed coarse grain production is calculated at 3,000 mt.

According to the report, this was even lower than the 1994/1995 drought year when only 4,100 mt were produced.

Head of the EMU, Gabriel Kangowa told IRIN: "The Caprivi region is of great concern to the government. The drought has not only affected the people in the region but also their livestock. Grazing conditions are generally poor in most parts of the region."

Also, in some rural areas in Caprivi, water points were not working. In the Sangwali and Chichimani districts in Caprivi the water was found to be be "salty and not suitable for human and livestock consumption". Most rural communities in Caprivi use water from boreholes, wells and rivers.

According to the report to cabinet, only 9,000 of the almost 80,000 people in Caprivi indicated that they might pull through the drought. In the Kavango region 50,000 people would need assistance, while in the Oshikoto region more than 82,000 indicated that they were in need of food aid.

Kangowa told IRIN that cabinet was still examining the findings of the assessment.

The assessment mission recommended targeted emergency assistance of about 155,700 mt of food. Commercial millers have planned to import about 78,200 mt, comprising 32,600 mt of wheat and 45,600 mt of white maize, which will cover half of the shortfall.

The EMU also suggested that pre-school, school-feeding and vulnerable group feeding programmes be implemented.

It said that farmers should be encouraged to sell livestock. To help people in rural areas, the report recommended that water tankers were needed immediately.

Already close to 14 million people in Southern Africa are in need of food aid between now and March next year.