Malawi

Malawi’s food crisis rages on even after good rains: to harvest 3m tons against 3.2 m, according to Fewsnet 

Maravi Post correspondent
Maize not enough to feed all Malawians

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)- The country is still having the daunting task of averting a food crisis. There are fresh reports that this year’s total harvest hovers around 3 million metric tons against the required 3.2 million.

In its latest food harvest projection report, Early Warning System Network (Fewsnet) highlights that the national food production, is expected to be more average than the anticipated for bumper yields.
The report released this week and titled, “Food security outlook for Southern Africa”, Fewsnet observes that although there is a slight increase from last year’s 2.3 million metric tons of maize, the currently situation is contrary to what was anticipated.
The network says the average production was attributed to Farm Inputs Subsidy Program (FISP)’ flop, and the sporadic dry spells in the southern region of the country.
Fewsnet therefore projects a reduction in cash crops, including tobacco, due to reduced farm area coupled with two consecutive seasons of poor prices on the market; drought is also a factor to poor crop yields.
This will eventually lead to decrease in incomes at the microeconomic and household levels this season. despite the good rains.
The network therefore, predicts continued food stress for households in the Lower Shire districts of Chikwawa and Nsanje, as they have not fully recovered from the impact of two consecutive years of drought and floods leading to a reduction in cotton production.
“Lack of inputs led to a high number of farmers using recycled seeds and registering lower fertilizer use, as well as fields in localized areas suffering from pests attack,” the Fewsnet’ forecast reads.
“Reductions in incomes from cash crops are expected this season due to a decline in the area planted by farmers. Many farmers significantly reduced the area planted for tobacco and cotton because of consecutive poor marketing years for these crops as well as losses incurred from two consecutive years of drought,” the report forecasts.
Ministry of Agriculture’s Production Estimates Survey for 2016/2017, disclosed that the country would realize a 35.9 percent maize production increase and a 36.6% decrease in tobacco production.