- 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.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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