Serious deterioration in food security

Two recent reports point to a serious deterioration in the food security situation of vulnerable populations in Mozambique's southern and central areas.

Statistics from a December vulnerability assessment indicated that about 650,000 Mozambicans required food aid to survive, but this estimate was made before drought-related crop failure became evident. The latest Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) report said food shortages were expected to worsen over the next year. "A near-total crop failure in some zones, following a poor harvest last year, has been the primary cause of the current situation. Food insecurity is most critical in remote zones where household access to food and income is heavily dependent on rain-fed agriculture, such as the interior of Gaza and Inhambane and southern Tete," the FEWS NET report warned. A World Food Programme (WFP) situation report agreed that the food security situation in the drought-affected provinces was deteriorating. The report added that WFP was "currently assessing the food security situation in two localities in drought-stricken Maputo province following reports of deaths from malnutrition".

The cumulative rainfall from October 2002 to January 2003 in Maputo was the lowest in more than 50 years, according to official statistics. FEWS NET noted that other factors have contributed to the worsening food security situation in southern and central Mozambique, including HIV/AIDS, and foot-and-mouth disease that has hit livestock. "Malnutrition rates after last year's poor harvest were already higher than most other countries in the region. These rates are likely to increase markedly in the coming year after households consume whatever crops they harvest and exhaust their already weakened coping strategies," the early warning unit agency said. Given that the next significant harvest in the most affected areas was not until February 2004, FEWS NET has recommended that food aid distributions be re-targeted. "The food security picture has changed dramatically since the November/December VAC [Vulnerability Assessment Committee] report. Some districts in Zambézia, Nampula and Sofala included in the VAC report are expecting a good harvest so the food security situation should improve rapidly in the coming months. Scarce food aid should be diverted now to meet more urgent needs and to avoid disincentives for producers," FEWS NET noted. WFP said it would continue to "monitor the situation to ensure that food assistance is reaching the most vulnerable people". FEWS NET added that the rapid distribution of agricultural inputs, such as seeds appropriate for second season planting, was also crucial.