Food insecurity to increase by 19%

The number of Namibians expected to experience food insecurity is likely to increase by 19% from 1.2 million to 1.4 million between July and September. This is according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, which said of these, 85 000 will face emergency (IPC Phase 4) levels and 842 000 will face crisis (IPC Phase 3) levels of food insecurity. “All the regions are projected to be classified in Phase 3 during the July to September projection period.”The report said at regional level, the food insecure population will deteriorate significantly, and 20 to 70% of the population is expected to be in Phase 3 or above. Kavango West (70% of the population), Kavango East (65% of the population) and Omaheke (65% of the population) remain the top three regions with the most population projected to be facing food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). External food assistanceMeanwhile, Namibia has been identified as one of 45 countries globally that is in need of external food assistance due to the food security it is facing. The Crop Prospects and Food Situation Report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said it assessed that 45 countries, of which 33 in Africa, are in need of external food assistance. According to the report, drought conditions in southern Africa are expected to worsen acute food insecurity conditions this year. Drought conditions in southern Africa have engendered significant cereal production downturns in 2024.It said in Namibia, an estimated 695 000 people were projected to face acute food insecurity (IPC 3) between October 2023 and March 2024. The impact of dry weather conditions on agricultural production in 2024 is expected to continue to worsen the acute food insecurity. Although official production estimates are not yet available for Angola and Mozambique, remote sensing-based yield forecasts indicate a high likelihood of lower-than-average harvests in both countries. In Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini, which are net importers of maize, domestic harvests are expected at below-average levels.In Botswana, Eswatini and Namibia, prices of maize meal (made with white maize grain) remained stable in March and April, but the high prices in South Africa, the main source of grain supplies, are likely to exert upward pressure in the coming months.Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has submitted a motion to the National Assembly seeking to extend the drought state of emergency by another six months. Namibia declared the severe drought a state of emergency in May.A crop assessment report by the agriculture ministry estimated in March that the national cereal production of white maize, sorghum, pearl millet and wheat for 2024 will be 72 150 tonnes, representing a 53% decrease from last season's harvest of 153 012 tonnes.In many communal crop-growing areas, households have depleted their reserves from the previous season and now heavily rely on the market and drought relief assistance for food.

Food insecurity to increase by 19%

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Food insecurity to increase by 19%

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