Overview 2012/13 Crop Production Season
• Regional cereal harvest increased by 0.2% from 35.02 million tonnes in 2012 to 35.11 million tonnes in 2013 and is 5% above the five year average;
• Compared to 2012, all countries experienced an increase in cereal production except Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe;
• Production of non-cereal food crops (roots and tuber crops, bananas, plantains and pulses) continue to increase in Angola, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia.
Key Findings:
• The number of food insecure population in the region has increased in all countries except Lesotho, Malawi and Mozambique
• The regional food insecure population is up 19% compared to last year for the 10 countries that have comparable data
• Some affected areas have remained the same for a long period indicating chronic vulnerability and high levels of poverty
• Compared with last year, the biggest increases in the number of food insecure populations has been recorded in Namibia (11 fold increase), followed by Zambia (233%) and Swaziland (151%).
• Percentage of food insecure population exceptionally high in Botswana at 49% of the total rural population
•Child malnutrition levels especially stunting a sign of chronic food nutrition insecurity are high to very high in the region. This indicates higher vulnerability of children to shocks such as drought, floods, food prices increases that some countries in the region face.
