Kenya & Tanzania
Drought still felt in Kenya and Tanzania

afrol News, 10 April - "In Kenya, the severe drought in 1999/2000 seriously undermined the food security of nearly 4.4 million people and resulted in a massive relief operation. Despite some improvement, the food supply situation is still precarious," a new report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization concludes. Tanzania is in the same situation.

In Tanzania and Kenya, at least 5.5 million people are affected by insufficient food supply and depend on external assistance. Most are affected by last season's drought, too severe to overcome yet. Additionally, the great numbers of refugees and internally displaced are dependent on food supply, according to the new FAO report. 

Kenya
In the northern pastoral districts of Kenya, where severe shortages of water and pasture resulted in large livestock losses, the failure of this winter's short rains season has exacerbated widespread food insecurity. The 2001 main "long rains" cropping season however has began and the outlook is favourable due to the forecasted normal rainfall in major producing areas. However, the outlook in pastoral areas remains bleak with expectations of below normal rainfall, FAO concludes.

According to FAO, the Kenyan harvesting of the 2000/2001 secondary "short rains" cereal crop, accounting for some 15 to 20 percent of annual production, is complete. The unseasonal continuation of the rains well into last January has helped improve yields. This crop provides the main source of food in parts of Central and Eastern provinces. 

The main "long rains" cereal crop, harvested until last October, was significantly reduced due to a severe drought. Official estimates indicate maize output of about 1.7 million tonnes compared to 2.4 million tonnes average over the previous five years. The aggregate 2000/01 cereal production is provisionally estimated at 2.1 million tonnes, 22 percent and 28 percent below the previous year's crop and the average respectively.

The severe drought in 1999/2000 seriously undermined the food security of nearly 4.4 million people and resulted in a massive relief operation. Despite some improvement, the food supply situation is still fragile, particularly in the northern, eastern and north-eastern pastoral districts. The severe scarcity of water and pasture has resulted in loss of large numbers of livestock and the process of recovery is rather slow.

A revised Emergency Operation was jointly approved in January 2001 by FAO and WFP for food assistance to 4.4 million drought affected people, worth US$ 148.9 million for a period of six months. 

Tanzania
In Tanzania, the situation is comparable, though affecting far less people. Prospects for the main season coarse grains in the southern highlands are favourable due to abundant rains. Aggregate 2000/01 cereal production, mainly maize, is estimated at about 3.7 million tonnes, about 13 percent below the previous five years average. The decline is attributed to drought conditions in several parts of the country. 

However, the overall food supply situation has improved due to increased on-farm stocks and market supplies following harvests of the "short rains" crop. This has helped to relieve pockets of food insecurity in the northern and central regions of the country resulting from successive seasons of poor harvests, FAO assesses. 

An Emergency Operation, was jointly approved in December 2000 by FAO and WFP for food assistance to 1.3 million people affected by drought across 11 regions, worth US$ 15.8 million for a period of 5 months. 

Harvesting of the 2000/01 second season cereal crops is completed. The output is expected to be above average reflecting well distributed rains during the season. Rains in February have allowed land preparation and planting of the 2001 main season crop in most areas. The medium term forecast for March to May 2001, predicts an above-normal rainfall over southern Uganda but a near-normal to below-normal rainfall over northern parts.

The output of the main season crop, harvested from the middle of 2000, was below average due to drought and erratic rains in various parts of the country. Cereal production in 2000 is estimated to be about 12 percent below average at 1.6 million tonnes.

The overall food supply situation is satisfactory, FAO assesses. However, the situation remains precarious in districts of Gulu, Kitgum, Bundibugyo, and parts of Kasese and Kabarole, mainly due to last year's poor harvest and/or insecurity. WFP's food assistance benefits an estimated 1.1 million internally displaced, refugees, and drought-affected people in the country.

Sources: Based on FAO