afrol News / SANF, 24 June - Prospects for Southern Africa sub-region are considered favourable this harvest season despite weather vagaries, marking a recovery from 2006/7 drought-affected season.

However, significant rises in international prices of fuel and fertilisers have affected use of key inputs in agriculture, somewhat dampening yield prospects, yield reports have shown.

Post-harvest assessments conducted by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) in April reveal that a majority of households in most parts of Malawi, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and northern Mozambique will be food secure during this year. But data is still awaited from other SADC countries.

However reports further show pockets of moderate food insecurity that are projected in areas affected by localised flooding that was followed by unexpected dry spell between February and March 2008.

Although planting rains started later than usual, excessive precipitation persisted during December and January throughout the region causing serious flooding in many low-lying areas, and thus a serious threat to crop production.

This was particularly the case along river basins in Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Madagascar.

Further, reports show that since February, rains have diminished, and unfavourably dry weather returned to some countries including Zimbabwe, parts of Botswana, southern Malawi, southern Mozambique, eastern Swaziland and central Zambia.

As Southern Africa\'s 2007/08 agricultural season comes to an end with harvesting and movement of produce to markets underway, countries such as Lesotho and Swaziland have already announced huge shortfalls, looking at its neighbours to provide their surplus yields.

By Tigere Chagutah

© afrol News / SANF

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