Continuing drought worsens humanitarian crisis

Up to 800,000 people in the tiny mountain kingdom of Lesotho could face food shortages as the country's Disaster Management Authority (DMA) reports an almost complete failure of this year's winter crop. The country has a population of 2.2 million, half of whom live in poverty, according to government estimates. However, a recent UN Development Programme report states that independent estimates of unemployment reach up to 70 percent. Coupled with the impact of HIV/AIDS, rampant poverty has exacerbated urban and rural vulnerability to shocks. DMA chief executive Ntalenyane Lesoetsa on Thursday told IRIN a post winter crop assessment, facilitated by the Ministry of Agriculture, had shown a "zero to poor" harvest, with the country's southern districts - Mafeteng, Mohale's Hoek, Quthing and Qacha's Nek - hardest hit by the winter drought. "The picture is extremely bleak, especially in the south. But even in the rest of the country there are pockets which are desperate. This year the winter rains didn't materialise, which meant farmers could not plough. Even when we did receive snow, it was sporadic and insufficient for the wheat to grow," Lesoetsa said. He noted that unlike last year, when the government subsidised farmers with inputs and assisted with harvesting, "this year the government has made it clear that it cannot afford to provide further assistance". "It was thought that when the crops were ripe, each farmer would give the government a portion of what was yielded as repayment for the help they received, but then planting started late and the weather proved unfavourable. The maize that was produced could only be [used] as fodder for animals," Lesoetsa explained. The UN World Food Programme has said it planned to scale up general food distribution in the first week of October, and that NGO World Vision will continue distributing food aid in two of the affected areas, Quthing and Mohale's Hoek. Lesoetsa warned that without cheap access to seeds and fertiliser, farmers may find themselves facing yet another poor harvest next year. "Without a doubt the government needs to be creative about how it is going to assist farmers. Many farmers cannot afford the seeds or the fertiliser. So, when there is good rain, many farmers cannot take advantage of it," he explained "It is also important that farmers realise that they should try farming other produce instead of the traditional maize staple. Without these measures we will find ourselves next year in the same predicament," Lesoetsa said. He also highlighted the impact of HIV/AIDS on agricultural production. "Those who were supposed to be working on the land are now forced to stay home and look after the sick. This means that even if there is something to harvest, the labour is no longer available," Lesoetsa noted.