More Namibians to need food aid
Prices trending well above average
South Africa's harvest is 10% below average, while Zambia's is a whopping 50% below average, resulting in tight regional maize market supply, the report read.
The demand for food aid is expected to increase significantly in Namibia, with over 30 million people in southern Africa projected to require assistance during the October to March 2025 low season.
This is due to the 2023/24 El Niño drought and regional conflicts, a Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) report issued on Tuesday said.
“The poor harvest across the region, including in South Africa which is 10% below average and Zambia which is 50% below average, has resulted in tight regional maize market supply," the report stated.
"South Africa’s diminished surplus is sufficient to meet the import needs of Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Eswatini, and Tanzania’s above-average surplus is also expected to partially mitigate regional supply deficits."
It, however, estimated that at least an additional three million tonnes of imported maize is necessary to meet the total regional demand, with prices in most markets trending well above both last year’s and the five-year average - despite seasonal declines in the post-harvest period.
Desperate times
According to the report, many poor households are already resorting to distressed livestock sales, with reported sale prices dropping to around only a quarter of normal due to atypically high supply.
It also highlighted that household access to water is expected to become critical during the July to October dry season, given increased pressure on the water supply that is leading to extraordinarily high rates of borehole breakdowns. “The increased time and/or expenditures needed for households to either collect or purchase water is also affecting household engagement in other livelihood activities and income to purchase food."
The FEWS NET report comes at a time when Namibia has declared a state of emergency as it battles the worst drought the country has experienced in 100 years. This while the United States Agency for International Development warned recently that malnutrition in Namibia is at alarming levels.
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This is due to the 2023/24 El Niño drought and regional conflicts, a Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) report issued on Tuesday said.
“The poor harvest across the region, including in South Africa which is 10% below average and Zambia which is 50% below average, has resulted in tight regional maize market supply," the report stated.
"South Africa’s diminished surplus is sufficient to meet the import needs of Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Eswatini, and Tanzania’s above-average surplus is also expected to partially mitigate regional supply deficits."
It, however, estimated that at least an additional three million tonnes of imported maize is necessary to meet the total regional demand, with prices in most markets trending well above both last year’s and the five-year average - despite seasonal declines in the post-harvest period.
Desperate times
According to the report, many poor households are already resorting to distressed livestock sales, with reported sale prices dropping to around only a quarter of normal due to atypically high supply.
It also highlighted that household access to water is expected to become critical during the July to October dry season, given increased pressure on the water supply that is leading to extraordinarily high rates of borehole breakdowns. “The increased time and/or expenditures needed for households to either collect or purchase water is also affecting household engagement in other livelihood activities and income to purchase food."
The FEWS NET report comes at a time when Namibia has declared a state of emergency as it battles the worst drought the country has experienced in 100 years. This while the United States Agency for International Development warned recently that malnutrition in Namibia is at alarming levels.
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