FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops and Shortages 06/02 - LESOTHO (2 June)
An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission 1/ visited the country from 25 April to 4 May 2002. The mission estimated domestic cereal supply in 2002/03 at 74 000 tonnes, against total national consumption requirement of 412 000 tonnes, resulting in an import requirement of 338 000 tonnes. Commercial imports were estimated at 191 000 tonnes and food aid at 147 000 tonnes which needs to be met by the Government and external assistance.
The mission also estimated that a total of 444 800 people throughout Lesotho will require emergency food assistance. The districts hardest hit by this year’s poor harvest are Qacha’s Nek, Quthing and Mohale’s Hoek. Overall, the Mission recommended targeted emergency assistance of approximately 68 955 tonnes of food, including maize, pulses, vegetable oil and iodized salt. Emergency provision of agricultural inputs such as seeds was also recommended to enable disaster-affected farming families to restart agricultural production during the next main planting season starting in October 2002.
1. Assessment reports for Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe can be found on the Internet at the following address: http://www.fao.org/WAICENT/faoinfo/economic/giews/english/alertes/sptoc.htm.