USAID Response to the Food Security Crisis in Southern Africa

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FACT SHEET

WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-4320

2002-032

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 8, 2002

WASHINGTON - It is currently estimated that up to 12.8 million people in six southern Africa countries - Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe - will be in need of humanitarian food aid between now and next year's harvest. The U.N. World Food Program (WFP) has determined that there will be a 4 million metric ton cereal deficit for the six affected countries through March 2003, and of this total, 1.2 million metric tons of emergency cereal food aid is required to assist the most vulnerable people. Given the enormity of the need, the United States is urging other donors to contribute to the regional humanitarian food requirements.

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The United States has taken early actions to help slow the worsening situation in southern Africa, including stimulating commerical imports, engaging governments to take appropriate policy actions, and providing emergency assistance. Since the beginning of 2002, the U.S. Government has responded by providing 132,710 metric tons of food aid valued at $68.6 million dollars to the region. This 132,710 metric tons of emergency food commodities, including cornmeal, whole corn, vegetable oil, beans, peas, corn-soya blend and cornsoy milk, is enough to feed close to nine million people for one month.

Most recently, USAID chartered the Liberty Star to transport 36,450 metric tons of emergency food commodities to southern Africa. Valued at approximately $16 million, the Liberty Star's delivery of corn, cornsoya milk and cornmeal will feed up to 2.4 million people for a month, and is due to arrive in the region at the end of July. Also, on June 10, the United States announced the release of 275,000 metric tons of wheat from the Emerson Trust, a food reserve for urgent humanitarian need. This wheat will be exchanged for approximately 160,000 metric tons of corn, beans, and vegetable oil, equal in value to the wheat, and used to provide emergency food assistance to southern Africa.

The recently completed harvests in southern Africa are expected to provide short-term relief, many vulnerable households will continue to require emergency food assistance, and significant increases in the price of corn have undermined access to food for large segments of the population within the region. The severity of the food shortage and the factors contributing to it are many and vary from country to country. Among the principal factors are drought, floods, poor harvests, and depletion of strategic grain reserves. In some cases, poor policy and economic mismanagement have also contributed to the food shortage, threatening to worsen existing conditions as well as affect future agricultural production. In addition, the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in southern Africa leaves large portions of the population increasingly vulnerable to health problems associated with food shortages, and also exacerbates the effects of the drought because households have fewer capable members to produce food or generate income with which to buy food.

The U.S. government is the biggest donor to the World Food Program's operations in southern Africa. However, while USAID will continue to ship more food to southern Africa in the coming months to address the urgent and growing humanitarian need, the United States can not meet the region's food requirement alone.

"The food security situation is increasingly alarming," said USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios in testimony before the House International Relations Committee on June 13. "U.S. missions and embassies in the region have been encouraged to engage other donor government representatives…and USAID has taken a number of actions that could position the international community to prevent a famine, not respond to one. However, the primary responsibility for the food security of these people rests, of course, with the governments of the countries concerned."

USAID has monitored the food shortage in southern Africa since early 2001, and will continue to actively monitor its development through regular field assessments. Currently, USAID is conducting technical assessments to evaluate the impact of the food shortage on agriculture, health, and nutrition in affected areas.

	Further Information Resources View the Current OFDA Situation Report on the crisis. Fact Sheet: U.S. to Release 275,000 Metric Tons of Emergency Wheat from Emerson Trust for Southern Africa Drought Relief Background Paper: Famine For more information on how you can help, and to learn about nonprofit organizations assisting those affected by this crisis, visit InterAction's web site on the food crisis in Southern Africa

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