Food insecurity is a serious concern in parts of East Africa. And in West Africa, food insecurity is anticipated to reach dangerous levels by 2022. Drought, agricultural production shortages and continuous wars are the main drivers behind cereal harvests that have already been badly affected.
This data is according to a report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which also indicates that food aid is required by 44 countries globally, including 33 in Africa, nine in Asia and two in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Crop damage has recently occurred in East and West Africa as a result of unfavourable weather conditions and wars, leading to output reductions in a number of countries in 2021. In North Africa, where soil moisture constraints have delayed sowing operations, planting for 2022 crops has begun.
Both sub-regions of Southern Africa had big crops in 2021, thanks to relatively favourable meteorological conditions.
“In central and northern parts of the sub-region, harvesting of the 2021 main season cereal crops is underway. Despite generally adequate June−September ‘Kiremt’ rains, crop prospects in Ethiopia are mixed as the ongoing conflict in northern areas, including the Tigray, Afar and Amhara regions, has resulted in substantial crop losses,” the report states.
Sorghum plantings in Sudan fell somewhat due to a price-driven increase in cotton plantings at the expense of sorghum, but remained close to the five-year average. Millet acreage in 2021 fell on an annual basis, but remained 11% higher than the five-year average, due to a delayed start of rainfall and heightened instability in the Darfur region, the principal producing area.
East Africa
“In the Sudan, prices of sorghum and millet declined by 2% – 12% or levelled off in October as traders released some of their stocks in anticipation of the ongoing 2021 main harvest. However, prices in October remained very high, about twice their already elevated year-earlier values, mainly due to the continuous depreciation of the national currency and soaring prices of agricultural inputs that have inflated production costs.
“In South Sudan, despite moderate declines following the first season harvest in September, prices of the main food staples, including sorghum and maize, were at exceptionally high levels in October,” the report further states.
The high food costs are the result of a persistently poor macroeconomic position, insufficient domestic supply and insecurity affecting trade movements. Maize prices have been steadily rising in Ethiopia since the beginning of the year. Due to the devaluation of the country’s currency, the poor performance of the secondary season “Belg” harvest, and conflict-related trade interruptions in some areas, prices were up to 90% higher in October 2021 than they were a year earlier.
Maize prices in Uganda jumped by 10% to 20% between August and October, and were roughly 50% higher than the previous year.
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