U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
SOUTHERN AFRICA - Complex Food Security Crisis
Situation Report #3, Fiscal Year (FY) 2003    November 1, 2002


Note: the last situation report was dated October 18, 2002.

BACKGROUND

A number of Southern African countries are currently experiencing food
security crises, due to a combination of adverse climate conditions for
two consecutive growing seasons, mismanagement of grain reserves, and
restrictive government policies that severely inhibit private sector
commerce. During the past production season, unusually dry conditions
extended across much of the region, from southern Zambia eastward to
southern Mozambique, resulting in crop failures and limited production in
many areas. Normally, food stocks carried over from the previous year and
the intra-regional trade of surplus commodities help to offset production
shortfalls. This year, however, regional stocks are exceptionally low, as
they were drawn down to fill the previous year's food shortages, and
surplus commodities within the region are limited. Zimbabwe is facing a
serious humanitarian crisis, with nearly half the population at risk.
Humanitarian food crises also exist in Malawi and Zambia. Poor and
vulnerable households in Swaziland and Lesotho and some parts of
Mozambique also require food assistance. The governments of several
countries have declared national disasters due to actual and anticipated
food shortages, including Malawi (February 27), Lesotho (April 22),
Zimbabwe (April 30), and Zambia (May 28). In July, the U.N. issued a
regional Consolidated Interagency Appeal (CAP) to meet the food and
non-food emergency humanitarian needs in Southern Africa. The U.N.
appealed for $611 million from donors, including $507 million for food aid
through the U.N. World Food Program's (WFP) Emergency Operation (EMOP).
Since the beginning of 2002, in response to the food security crisis, the
U.S. Government (USG)  has provided or pledged more than $276 million in
humanitarian assistance through the U.S. Agency for International
Development's (USAID) Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) and the Office
of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), and the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA). The majority of the humanitarian assistance has
been emergency food relief provided by USAID/FFP.

NUMBERS AT A GLANCE
POPULATIONS IN NEED : SEPTEMBER 1, 2002 TO MARCH 31, 2003


                                     Maximum Percentage of
             Maximum Number of       Total (Country/Region)
Country      Population in Need(1)   Population in Need(1)

Zimbabwe        6,700,000                 49%
Malawi          3,300,000                 29%
Zambia          2,900,000                 26%
Lesotho           650,000                 30%
Mozambique        590,000                  3%
Swaziland         270,000                 24%
Total          14,400,000                 25%

(1)Anticipated populations and food aid needs are based on SADC FANR
assessments released on September 16, 2002. (Numbers are rounded.)

Total USG Humanitarian Assistance provided, to date
$276,029,550

Total USG Food Aid provided, to date, in Metric Tons (MT)
499,193



CURRENT SITUATION

Latest Shipment of U.S. Food Aid to the Region.  The Liberty Sun is
expected to arrive in the region on November 15, with 58,250 MT of corn.
The Golden Bay is scheduled to arrive at the end of November. The
commodities aboard these two ships will bring the total tonnage delivered
to the region to approximately 400,000.

Update on the WFP Emergency Operation (EMOP).  On October 28, WFP reported
that 56 percent of the EMOP (559,066 MT) had been funded. Approximately 45
percent of contributions so far are from the USG.  WFP is facing a
shortfall in pledges of approximately $256 million for the entire EMOP.

Controversy Over Biotech-Derived Food Aid. On October 29, following
recommendations made by a team of Zambian scientists, the Government of
the Republic of Zambia (GRZ)  announced that it would not accept
biotech-derived food assistance.  The GRZ cited Zambia's lack of
biotechnology and biosafety legislation, the potential risk of
contamination of traditional crops, and threats to Zambia's ability to
export crops as reasons for its decision. The GRZ also rejected all
biotech-derived food commodities already in the country, even if milled.

The Government of Zimbabwe (GOZ) has stated that it will accept
biotech-derived food assistance, provided it is quarantined and milled
before distribution. The governments of Mozambique and Malawi have
expressed concerns over the environmental effects of biotech food, but are
accepting such food aid as long as it is milled before distribution.
Swaziland and Lesotho have continued to accept all relief food aid of
biotech origin, provided it is milled.


COUNTRY UPDATES

Zimbabwe. According to an October 29 report from the U.N. Relief and
Recovery Unit in Harare (RRU), food import levels by the Grain Marketing
Board (GMB) are insufficient to meet national consumption requirements.
A shortage of foreign currency has severely limited the GMB's ability to
import an adequate volume of cereals.  According to the RRU, removing the
GMB's monopoly on grain imports, and thus allowing the private sector to
assist in alleviating the food shortages, will be required to ensure
increased access to food.

WFP plans to significantly increase food distributions in the coming
months.  In November, WFP will distribute approximately 50,000 MT of food
assistance to 3 million beneficiaries in 35 districts.  By January 2003,
the targeted beneficiaries will increase to 5.9 million people.  However,
WFP food distributions in Insiza District have been temporarily suspended
following the unauthorized distribution of three MT of food commodities by
ZANU- PF activists.

Malawi. From October 3 to October 6, a USAID/OFDA team visited Malawi to
assess the response to the food security crisis. According to
USAID/Malawi, the primary cause of food insecurity in the country is a
combination of declining agricultural productivity, limited off-farm
employment options, chronic poverty, limited household assets, and high
HIV/AIDS prevalence. Domestic production during the 2001/2002 growing
season was very low. While annual consumption is estimated at 1,980,000
MT, production in 2001/2002 was only 1,376,000 MT. The early harvesting of
green maize for immediate consumption has also compounded current food
insecurity. In addition, many rural households are unable to afford food
commodities due to high market prices. USAID/Malawi is encouraging crop
diversification into higher-value crops to boost rural incomes and improve
food security, an approach recently funded by USAID/OFDA agricultural
recovery programs.

The continuing food security crisis and the approach of the rainy season
threaten another cholera epidemic in Malawi. However, there is a consensus
among the relief community that it is prepared to respond to the
situation.  USAID/OFDA is supporting UNICEF and World Health Organization
(WHO) programs to strength the cholera epidemic response by improving
rural monitoring and surveillance infrastructure, which will more quickly
identify and provide accurate information regarding cholera outbreaks.

Zambia. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (UN OCHA), the GRZ's October 29 decision to not accept biotech
food commodities will complicate efforts to provide food assistance to
approximately three million people in need.  Consequently, WFP announced
that it may be unable to provide food aid to all the targeted
beneficiaries in the country. WFP currently has two week's worth of food
commodities and needs approximately 21,000 MT of food per month to meet
requirements. During October, WFP distributions reached only half of the
intended beneficiaries in Zambia. WFP's expected levels of food
commodities available for distribution in November remain minimal. The
next shipments of food commodities are not expected to arrive in the
country until December. WFP also plans to transfer 15,000 MT of biotech
corn that has been stored in Zambia since the GRZ announced a ban on the
commodities in August to other countries in the region.

Mozambique. With present resources, WFP is only able to provide a full
food basket to approximately 60 percent of the total population in need in
Mozambique. In addition, 92 percent of food assistance distributed during
the present food security crisis has been channeled through Food for Work
programs. As a result, assistance may not be reaching some of the most
vulnerable populations.

Lesotho. WFP food distributions in Lesotho are now reaching six out of the
eight targeted districts. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has
announced an additional contribution of seeds to Lesotho, valued at
$250,000.  WFP plans to distribute the seeds to 21,000 households.

Swaziland. According to WFP, local populations in Swaziland are demanding
increased food aid distributions. In response, the National Disaster Task
Force is examining the situation. WFP and its implementing partners have
signed letters of understanding to increase the number of targeted
beneficiaries to 265,400 by December.

Namibia.  On October 31, WFP reported delays in food distributions,
provided by the Government of Namibia, (GON) to approximately 345,000
beneficiaries in northern areas of the country. WFP assistance is
presently reaching more than 18,000 refugees in the Osire refugee camp and
400 refugees in Kassava transit center.  USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

Since the beginning of 2002, the USG has provided or pledged more than
$276 million in emergency humanitarian assistance in response to the food
security crisis.

USAID/OFDA has provided more than $10 million in non-food programs that
are currently underway in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, and Lesotho.
USAID/OFDA has also provided $1 million to WFP to assist with its regional
management and logistics coordination. USAID/OFDA continues to address
needs in water and sanitation, coordination, nutrition, and health,
particularly preparing for outbreaks of endemic and opportunistic
diseases.

In addition to emergency humanitarian efforts for the food security crisis
in Southern Africa, USAID programs are designed to reduce the risk of
future crises through the Agricultural Initiative to Cut Hunger in Africa.
The objective of the Initiative is to promote rapid and sustainable
increase in agricultural growth and rural incomes in sub-Saharan Africa by
advancing scientific and technological applications that will raise
agricultural productivity, create agriculture-based enterprises, and
improving the agricultural trade and market systems.

In response to the ongoing HIV/AIDS pandemic in the Southern Africa
region, USAID's Africa Bureau (USAID/AFR) is supporting HIV/AIDS
prevention, control, care, and support initiatives, as well as programs
for HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children throughout the region.
USAID/AFR also supports a regional HIV/AIDS program in Southern Africa
that focuses on regional cross-border activities.

USAID is also sponsoring the SADC Regional Workshop on the Safety of
Biotech Maize in Food Aid in Gaborone, Botswana in mid-November.
Participants will include technical experts from around the world, along
with technical advisors and policymakers from the affected countries. The
meeting will address the technical and policy issues related to biotech
corn in food aid.


U.S. GOVERNMENT HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
SOUTHERN AFRICA FOOD SECURITY CRISIS

Country
Agency
Implementing Partner
Sector Description
Amount


Lesotho

USAID/OFDA
U.S. Embassy in Lesotho
Agriculture
$20,000

USAID/FFP*
WFP
P.L. 480 Title II Food and Emerson Trust Assistance:  27,760 MT
$14,162,907

TOTAL USG ASSISTANCE TO LESOTHO   $14,182,907



Malawi

USAID/OFDA
USAID/Malawi
Supplementary Feeding
$25,000

USAID/OFDA
UNICEF
Emergency Nutrition
$1,099,800

USAID/OFDA
Malawian Red Cross
Health
$100,000

USAID/OFDA
CARE
Agriculture
$772,552

USAID/OFDA
World Vision
Agriculture
$1,172,600

USAID/OFDA
CRS
Agriculture
$645,172

USAID/OFDA
WHO
Cholera Response and Prevention
$825,866

USAID/FFP*
WFP
P.L. 480 Title II Food and Emerson Trust Assistance:  97,645 MT
$51,035,612

Total USAID   $55,676,602


USDA
WFP
Section 416(b) Food Assistance: 3,000 MT
$1,243,382

TOTAL USG ASSISTANCE TO MALAWI   $56,919,984




Mozambique

USAID/FFP*
WFP
P.L. 480 Title II Food and Emerson Trust Assistance:   19,790 MT
$10,703,251

TOTAL USG ASSISTANCE TO MOZAMBIQUE    $10,703,251




Swaziland

USAID/FFP*
WFP
P.L. 480 Title II Food and Emerson Trust Assistance: 15,242 MT
$8,292,754

TOTAL USG ASSISTANCE TO SWAZILAND   $8,292,754




Zambia

USAID/OFDA
U.S. Embassy in Zambia
Transportation Logistics
$50,000

USAID/OFDA
CARE
Agriculture
$611,308

USAID/OFDA
CLUSA
Agriculture
$249,383

USAID/ODFA
World Vision
Agriculture
$627,869

USAID/FFP*
WFP
P.L. 480 Title II Food and Emerson Trust Assistance: 24,100 MT
$12,050,000

Total USAID   $13,588,560


USDA
WFP
Section 416(b) Food Assistance: 15,000 MT
$7,093,354

TOTAL USG ASSISTANCE TO ZAMBIA   $20,681,914



Zimbabwe

USAID/OFDA
UN OCHA
Field Coordination
$100,000

USAID/OFDA
UN OCHA
IDP Advisor and Monitor
$231,525

USAID/OFDA
CARE
Agriculture
$945,242

USAID/OFDA
World Vision
Agriculture
$549,072

USAID/OFDA
CRS
Agriculture/Nutrition
$1,099,822

USAID/FFP*
WFP
P.L. 480 Title II Food and
Emerson Trust Assistance: 118,696 MT
$61,066,026

USAID/FFP*
World Vision
P.L. 480 Title II Food Assistance: 19,710 MT
$11,744,001

Total USAID    $75,735,688


USDA
WFP
Section 416(b) Food
Assistance: 8,500 MT
$4,958,052

TOTAL USG ASSISTANCE TO ZIMBABWE    $80,693,740




Regional Support

USAID/OFDA
WFP
Regional Management and Logistics Coordination
$1,000,000

Region (Country allocation to be finalized)
USAID/FFP*
TBD
Emerson Trust: 149,750 MT
$83,555,000



SUMMARY OF USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

USAID/Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA)	  $10,125,211
USAID/Office of Food For Peace (FFP)*   $252,609,551
USAID Total   $262,734,762
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Total   $13,294,788
TOTAL USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, TO DATE   $276,029,550

* Note: USAID/FFP values are estimates. Commodities may be reallocated as
required to meet changing needs.


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