Mozambique Food Security Update: April 30, 2001

Transcription

1 Mozambique Food Security Update: April 30, 2001 Summary The 2000/01 cropping season is near an end in parts of Mozambique, but the production outlook has deteriorated as a result of adverse climate conditions. Approximately 42,000 hectares of food crops, 2,000 hectares of cotton, and 460 hectares sugar cane were lost due to flooding in the Zambezi valleys. First-season production has decreased by approximately 40 to 80 percent in two districts in Maputo Province compared with the first season in 1999/2000 mainly due to drought, which has affected some districts in the Southern Region. The food security situation is worrisome, particularly in the Southern Region, in the wake of two successive season of crop loss for some households, the first seasons of 1999/2000 and of 2000/01. These households no longer have food reserves and are therefore dependent on food aid or the local market until the second agricultural season harvest (June/July), for which they have begun planting. Mozambique continued to register above-normal rainfalls in March, causing a temporary worsening in the flood situation in the Central region, particularly in the Zambezi, Buzi, Save, and Licungo Valleys. Rains slowed at end of March and beginning of April and river levels are dropping again. As of April 6, approximately 563,000 people were flood affected, of which 235,000 people were housed in 87 accommodation centers. Humanitarian assistance and sanitation conditions in the accommodation centers have improved significantly in the last month, according to reports from the multidisciplinary teams (comprising members of the Government, UN agencies, and NGOs) visiting the Central Region during the first week of April. The primary emergency objective search and rescue of the population at risk has been substantially met now that floodwaters have started receding considerably in the Zambezi, Buzi, and Pungue basins. Currently, the government is concentrating its efforts toward the resettlement of 235,000 people to reduce their vulnerability to future floods and to promote rural development. The multidisciplinary commissions suggested that the resettlement program could include a free supply of food package (cereal, bean, sugar, and oil), seeds, and agricultural tools to 70,500 people in the accommodation centers. The Emergency Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (EC/MADER) indicates that seed and tools distribution program started on April 12. The Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) Is financed by USAID and managed by Chemonics International, Inc. FEWS NET Mozambique Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development National Directorate of Agriculture PO Box 1406 Maputo, Mozambique Telephone: (258-1) /460195/ Facsimile: (258-1) mlibombo@fews.net

2 POOR AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION IS FORECAST IN PARTS OF MOZAMBIQUE The 2000/01 cropping season is near an end in parts of Mozambique, but the production outlook has deteriorated as a result of adverse climate conditions. Generally, the first agriculture season started on time in October/November in the South, and in November/December in the Central and Northern Regions. At the time of planting, the crops had sufficient rain, but adverse climate conditions long drought periods in the South, floods in the Central region, and heavy rains in the North have contributed to poor agricultural production. Production Losses Preliminary data from the Early Warning Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (DAP/MADER), the National Cotton Institute, and the National Sugar Institute indicate floods destroyed approximately 42,000 hectares of various food crops, 2,000 hectares of cotton, and 460 hectares of sugar cane in Central Mozambique. The damage caused by drought to production is yet to be quantified. However, rapid appraisals in five districts of Gaza Province and two districts of Maputo Province indicate that the first-season production decreased significantly compared with the previous season last year. The Food Situation in Southern Mozambique is Worrisome According to District Directorates of Agriculture, the food security situation is alarming in the Southern Region due to crop loss for households in two successive seasons, the first season in 1999/2000 and the first season in 2000/01. Floods affected approximately 66,000 households the Central Region, and unknown numbers of households were affected by drought in the some districts in the Southern Region. Having exhausted their food reserves, these households are dependent on food aid and local markets until the o the second agricultural season harvest in June/July. There is a need to better understand how households in these food-insecure areas access food and income to assess the possible implications of successive crop failures. A MADER/FEWS NET/AEDES TEAM ASSESSES THE EFFECT OF DROUGHT ON AGRICULTURE IN MAPUTO PROVINCE A team comprising members of the Early Warning Department and the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture (DAP, DPA/MADER), FEWS NET, and l Agence Européenne pour le Développment et la Santé (AEDES) visited the Moamba and Magude Districts in Maputo Province to further assess the effect of drought on agriculture. The results indicate that during the 2000/01season, maize crop losses were as high as 80 percent in Moamba District and 40 percent in Magude. Farmers are concerned about lower yields and highlighted the fact that agricultural production is their main source of food and income. The team established that the traditional granaries were virtually empty as a consequence of the poor harvest during the current agricultural season. The most important alternative means of subsistence for households in Magude and Moamba Districts include remittances from South Africa or Maputo, charcoal production, firewood sales, and occasional sale of goats or chickens. Page 2

3 ABOVE-NORMAL RAINFAL L CONTINUES IN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY Mozambique continued to register abovenormal rainfall in March. The National Institute of Meteorology (INAM) indicates that Tete City in the Central Region received more than 452 percent above-normal rainfall. In the Northern Region, Pemba and Lichinga, rain fell at 137 percent and 107 percent above normal levels, respectively. In the Southern Region, the rainfall was 69 and 36 percent above normal for Xai-Xai and Inhambane, respectively. Maputo City had 66 percent below-normal rainfall. The heaviest rainfall was in March during the first and second dekads (10-day periods) and less rain fell in the third dekad. The Meteosat satellite images corroborate the data from INAM. The heavy to very heavy rain that fell in the first dekads in the Central Region worsened the flood situation, particularly in the Zambezi, Buzi, Save, and Licungo Valleys. However, rains slowed at the end of March and beginning of April. NORMAL RAIN IS FORECAST FOR THE NEXT 3 MONTHS The Drought Monitoring Centre based in Harare forecasts a 45 percent probability of normal rain during the months of April, May, and June A return to normal rainfall would be beneficial for the growth of vegetables and other secondseason products, particularly in the regions where adverse climate conditions drought and floods have caused the reduction of production. Page 3

4 FLOODS HAVE CAUSED MORE THAN 80 DEATHS IN THE CENTRAL REGION Floods in the basins of the Central Region, the Rivers Licungo, Zambezi, Pungue, Save, and Buzi have caused the deaths of 84 people, government sources reported on April 6. Approximately 235,000 people are currently housed in 87 accomodation centers. Torrential rains in Mozambique and in neighboring Malawi and Zambia during the first 20 days of March worsened the flood situation in Central Mozambique. About 15 districts were seriously flood affected. During this period, the number of people in the accommodation centers grew dramatically, increasing by 161 percent from 90,000 on March 12 to 235,000 on April 6 compared with last month. Approximately 563,000 people are considered to be flood affected by the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC). Floods are also causing economic damage to agriculture and infrastructure. Around 42,000 hectares of various food crops have been destroyed, affecting approximately 60,000 hoseholds. In addition, some 2,000 hectares of cotton and 460 of sugar have been lost. Infrastructure including buildings, shops, hospitals, and schools have been severely damaged. However, no quantified data of infrastructure damage caused by the recent floods are yet available. The destruction of roads and bridges has been so extensive that isolated areas can only be reached by air to conduct relief operations. Consequently, the recent reduction in air transport operations is a cause for concern and reiterates the need to prioritize the repair of roads and bridges to enable relief distribution by road. CONDITIONS IN THE ACCOMMODATION CENTERS HAVE IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY Humanitarian assistance and sanitation conditions in the accommodation centers have improved significantly, according to findings of amultidisciplinary team comprising members of the Government, United Nations agencies, and NGOs who visited the Central Region during the first week of April. Food distribution in the accommodation centers has been satisfactory, but there is fear that with a reduction of delivery of food supplies by air, food availability may Page 4

5 become a problem. The team also found that the accommodation centers need more fresh water supplies. GOVERNMENT MOBILIZES TO RESETTLE FLOOD-AFFECTED PEOPLE The search and rescue phase of the flood emergency came to an end as the water levels have receded considerably in the Zambezi, Buzi, and Pungue basins. At present, the government's efforts are geared toward resettlement of displaced population groups. Multidisciplinary commissions comprising government, NGOs, and UN agencies are currently working together to set up a resettlement program for approximately 235,000 people. Some people will be relocated to safer zones to reduce vulnerability from future floods and to promote development. In the last week of March work was begun on demarcation of plots of land intended for construction of new residential quarters. Public services such as schools and hospitals will also be built to promote rural development. The multidisciplinary commissions suggested that the resettlement program include a free supply of a food package containing cereal, bean, sugar, and oil; seeds; and agricultural tools to 70,500 people in the accommodation centers. For this distribution, priority should be given to the accommodation centers that have the most people. This commission also recommended that the free food distribution may need to continue until May. In June, needy families may get food supplies through a food-for-work program carried on by WFP. SEEDS DELIVERY BEGINS FOR AFFECTED FLOOD POPULATIONS In the wake of the flooding in February and March 2001, access to seeds and agricultural tools distributions is the major constraint in the Central Region. The Emergency Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (EC/MADER) indicates that 66,000 households will be benefit from a free seeds and tools distribution program so that farmers can plant their second-season crops in April/May. The major seed suppliers the Mozambican Seed Company (the largest seed company) and NGOs started seed and tool distribution on April 12. EC/MADER is coordinating the free distribution of seeds and tools and recommends that the timing of the cropping season be a factor in the timing of seed distribution.. The flood-affected areas will be planted as soon as the floodwater recedes in May. Page 5