Zanzibar severely drought-hit, assessment team says

At least 4,000 hectares of food crops have wilted and 50 heads of cattle have died in Tanzania's semiautonomous Island of Zanzibar due to severe drought that has hit parts of the island, according to a report by the Rapid Vulnerable Assessment Task Force Committee. The assessment team issued the report on Tuesday following its completion of a two-week study. "My team surveyed nine out of 10 districts of Unguja and Pemba islands, finding that most of the food crops planted in September 2005, including cereals, maize and potatoes, had wilted," Ali Hajji Ramadhani, the chairman of the 14-member committee formed on 27 February, said. He said the eastern coastal region of Zanzibar was more affected, with livestock - mainly cattle - dying. He said his team did not survey the island's capital, Stone Town, because little farming took place in the area. "If we compare drought in Zanzibar and that of other parts in the East African region, we are better," Ramadhani said. "However, some homes are now having shortages of food, but fortunately our shops are full of food stuffs." He said that prices of livestock had dropped drastically such that one cow, which would normally cost at least US $350 was now about $150. "Many farmers have also involuntarily slaughtered their cows and sold the meat," he said. According to the 2003 Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock records on livestock survey, Zanzibar had about 170,000 cattle - many kept by free grazing methods. Ramadhani said his team comprised agricultural experts from the island as well as those from the meteorological department, the Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) and those from Tanzania mainland, where drought has also hit severely. "Since we have started to witness some rains, the government has distributed 10 tonnes of rice and seven tonnes of maize seeds to the most affected farmers in the island to plant," he said. "We have suggested to the authorities also to distribute cassava and other food crop seeds." Ramadhani said farmers in Jambiani, Paje, Nungwi, Ukongoroni, Tumbatu, and Makunduchi in Unguja, and Pemba areas of Micheweni, Mwambe, Vitongoji, Kangagani, Pujini, and Kengeja would receive the seeds. He said the government had decided to give the selected seeds, "because it is what can be grown in Zanzibar and it is the food used by the majority". The majority of Zanzibar's 981,745 people are small-scale farmers, fishermen and traders.