WFP, FAO assess food security

A joint assessment of the food security situation in drought- afflicted Namibia is currently being undertaken by UN agencies, government and NGOs. World Food Programme (WFP) head of office in Namibia, Abdirahman Meygag, told IRIN that assessment teams had left the capital, Windhoek, on Wednesday and would visit all 13 regions of Namibia. A report by the government's Emergency Management Unit (EMU) said that nearly 500,000 people will require emergency food aid in Namibia in the coming months. The report, based on a crop and food supply assessment mission in June, said total cereal output in 2001/02 was estimated at 37,300 mt, which was only 49 percent of last season and less than the 38,500 mt produced in 1997/1998, which was declared a drought year. "The government has requested that WFP and FAO [Food and Agricultural Organisation] undertake assessments of the drought situation in Namibia and WFP has posted two staff members to undertake this assessment," Meygag said. This followed discussions between government, UN agencies and other stakeholders. The assessment will be carried out from 21 August to 7 September. Meygag said it would then take a few days to analyse the data collected and the results would be known by 14 September. According to the EMU report, the region hardest hit by this year's poor harvest was Caprivi, where forecasted yields of rain-fed coarse grain production was calculated at 3,000 mt. This was even lower than the 1994/1995 drought year when only 4,100 mt was produced. It was recommended that targeted emergency assistance of about 155,700 mt of food be distributed to vulnerable groups. Meygag said: "The Prime Minister [Hage Geingob] was visiting drought affected regions last week, but the government has not officially declared it a disaster. If they declare a disaster it's expected they would be asking for international assistance."