LESOTHO (30 May)
An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission that visited the country from 22 April to 1 May 2003 estimated the 2002/03 cereal production at 89 100 tonnes. Maize production is estimated at 61 400 tonnes, wheat at 24 300 tonnes and sorghum at 3 400 tonnes. Compared to last year’s FAO/WFP assessment mission figures, production this year will be 66 percent higher. The Mission estimated the total cropped area at 178 300 hectares, about 84 percent of the area in normal years and 33 percent higher than last year’s figure. Some land was not planted because of the late arrival of subsidized inputs and the lack of tractors and machinery.
With an estimated total domestic cereal supply of 118 200 tonnes, and total utilization requirement of 438 900 tonnes, the country faces a shortfall of about 321 000 tonnes for 2003/04 marketing year. Commercial imports are forecast at 288 700 tonnes, leaving a gap of 32 000 tonnes to be covered as food aid. Against this requirement, WFP food aid in the pipeline for the current marketing year stand at 12 000 tonnes. Thus, there is an uncovered requirement of 20 000 tonnes which needs to be met by additional external food assistance.
A combination of better though below normal domestic cereal production and improved commercial import capacity suggests that there will be no serious cereal shortages at the national level. Early this year the price of cereals began to decline as harvest prospects improved. It is expected that cereal prices will continue to decline over the course of the marketing year reflecting also good maize production in South Africa. However, the key issue remains physical and economic access to food for certain segments of the population. High unemployment and inflation rates, particularly in the rural areas, coupled with the impact of HIV/AIDS means that certain segments of the population do not have the purchasing power to access food even if it is available in the market.
The Mission estimated that 38 000 tonnes of mixed food commodities, including 32 000 tonnes of cereals, will need to be distributed as food aid to targeted households. The number of beneficiaries will vary from around 125 000 to about 270 000 during the lean period.