Windhoek
Household food security remains fragile across the country after government’s drought food aid programme that was implemented in 2015 officially ended on March 31.
The programme remains active with food stock assistance and financial aid to bridge the gap between the just ended programme and the start of the new programme.
Spokesperson at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Saima Shaanika confirmed that government is waiting for the outcome of the current vulnerability assessment to determine the rate of food insecurity and the number of people affected by the current drought.
Declaring a state of emergency some time later this year is not far-fetched as the OPM’s vulnerability assessment, in addition to the latest Crop Assessment and Drought Situation Report by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, will determine whether to follow such drastic measures.
Most households in communal areas have depleted last season’s harvest and now depend mainly on the market and government’s drought aid programme for food access.
According to the latest Crop Prospects and Drought Situation Report, the supply of drought relief food is inadequate when compared to the number of people in the north-central and north-eastern regions who are food insecure.
Households noted that drought relief food distribution takes too long to come to households’ rescue and only targets certain households that are regarded as most vulnerable.
This is said to have put the regional councils in a difficult situation regarding the distribution of food as per the guidelines provided by the OPM. The government’s Drought Relief Food Programme started last April and came to an end on March 31 this year.
Farmers New Era spoke to reported that due to the drought there will be no improvement to household food security this season. Under normal circumstances the household food security situation starts to improve as from March when the green harvests such as green maize, cowpeas, squash and Bambara nuts become available and ready for consumption until the main harvest in May. However, farmers indicated that the availability of such crops would be very limited this season, which was also the case in the previous season.
Grazing is said to have made some light to moderate recoveries in various parts of the country and poor to fair grazing conditions are reported in the north-central, western and southern parts. Good grazing conditions were reported in the north-east, while in the central and eastern parts grazing was reported to range between fair and good. Livestock conditions were reported to have improved fairly following an improvement in grazing conditions and the body conditions range from fair to good in most areas.
In the north-eastern parts (Zambezi, Kavango East and Kavango West regions), grazing conditions were reported to have improved significantly amidst poor rainfall.
In the east, central and southern parts, grazing conditions range between fair and good in Otjozondjupa, Khomas, Omaheke, //Karas and Hardap regions, following some good showers received between December and March. However, due to the generally poor rainfall and frequent dry spells experienced this season, grazing has since started wilting and the situation is expected to deteriorate.
For the Kunene region, grazing ranges between fair and good in the northern part of the region. However, in the central and south-eastern areas, grazing was reported to range between poor and very poor.
Many farmers affected by poor grazing conditions, especially in the eastern side of Khorixas, Gainatseb and Braunfels areas, were reportedly moving their livestock from one place to another in search of better grazing.