afrol News, 24 May - Swaziland has found itself entangled in a food crisis, which resulted from a long-standing drought and soaring temperatures in the southern African country over the past months, a joint assessment mission of both the FAO and WFP has revealed.

Like most southern African countries, maize is a staple food in Swaziland, a country ruled by Africa’s last monarch, King Mswati III.

According to estimates, this year’s production was reduced by 60 percent compared to that of last year. The season is seen as the country’s worst harvest, which has left at least a third of the population without food.

From now against the next maize harvest season in April 2008 Swaziland needs to import 40,000 tonnes of food a third of its population.

The Swazi government admitted that maize production has been experiencing a sharp decline during the past 10 years, resulting to food crisis and price hikes of other cereal thus denying majority of the poor Swazis access to food.

The Swazi government has been urged to engage in crop diversification projects that will serve as substitution of maize. It is believed that maize is fragile to the climatic conditions in most parts of Africa.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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