Crop losses threaten 300,000 families in Huambo

Crop losses due to heavy rains has jeopardised the food security of more than 300,000 families in the central Angolan province of Huambo, the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) reported. In its latest food security update for the country, FEWS NET noted that "excessive rainfall in December and inadequate farm inputs" had combined to "seriously affect crops in large parts of Huambo", with an especially negative impact on smallholder farmers, "who produce more than 80 percent of crops and account for over 300,000 families in the province". Despite beneficial rains from January to March, "maize yields have been particularly affected". Initial estimates indicated a decrease of more than 60 percent in expected maize production. "Many families in Huambo have recently been resettled and are only now beginning to re-establish their livelihoods. This includes reactivating farms, rebuilding household assets through limited labour opportunities and other activities. In this context, crop loss threatens the recovery of agricultural production and the restoration of viable livelihoods in Huambo," the FEWS NET warned. The failure of the current maize crop implied that farmers would take longer to rebuild their food stocks and livelihoods. "Households may be forced to sell recently acquired productive assets, further delaying their recovery." Farm jobs would be scarce until the next main harvest in May 2005, and "with limited labour opportunities, for many the sale of firewood is the principal means of income generation," FEWS NET added. "Based on the current assessment, a gap of 116,500 mt of maize needs to be filled, either through markets, expanded production during the May to August season, or by food aid. While surplus food stocks are available in other parts of the country, Huambo's poor market infrastructure may limit the ability of markets to fill this gap," the organisation noted. Further assessments would examine both livelihoods in Huambo and the extent to which markets could meet this deficit. Targeted relief interventions, including seeds and food aid for smallholders facing severe losses, were recommended. "Seed provision ... will help ensure that farmers can continue the process of reintegration and can produce some food during the [May to August] season. Food aid programmes could be designed, not only to provide immediate relief assistance, but also to support mitigation-type activities, for example, rehabilitation of rural roads, which would boost the development of cereal and livestock markets," FEWS NET explained.