FAO issues food security alert for southern Africa

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The UN agency's Global Information and Early Warning System said on Tuesday that agricultural prospects in southern Africa were weakened by the El Niño weather phenomenon that has seen a widespread drought in southern Africa and higher temperatures. Reduced farm output would follow last year's disappointing season, which has already raised food prices and could acutely affect the food security situation in 2016, the alert said.

The planting window for maize, a staple food in southern Africa, has effectively passed in the higher-lying eastern part of the subcontinent where early frost limits the duration of the season. In the western district where mostly white maize for human consumption is grown, the planting window is rapidly closing. The prospects for crops that have already been sown are not good. "It's the sixth week of the cropping season now and there's not enough moisture in the soil," said FAO's Shukri Ahmed.

The agency said the region's small-scale farmers are almost entirely dependent on rain, rendering their output highly susceptible to its variations. While El Niño's impact depends highly on location and season - the impact of El Niño on agricultural production appears more muted in northern areas - past strong episodes have been associated with reduced production in several countries, including SA.

Source: BDpro