Mozambique: 20 districts said to be at risk of food insecurity

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Mozambique: 20 districts said to be at risk of food insecurity

2:07 CAT | 07 Jun 2018

File photo: Voa

20 districts in four Mozambican provinces (Inhambane and Gaza in the south, and Sofala and Tete in the centre of the country) are at risk of food insecurity because irregular rainfall and insect pests have reduced this year’s harvests.

According to a report in Wednesday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”, a multi-sector group assessed the food security situation in the country in April and May, and submitted a report to the government, warning that over 40 per cent of the population in the affected districts could face food shortages.

The group concluded that the fall armyworm (which strikes particularly at maize) and the cassava mosaic virus (transmitted by whiteflies), plus poor rains, have damaged crops, resulting in lower harvests than initially forecast.

Dino Buene, national official for vulnerability assessment in the Food and Nutritional Security Technical Secretariat (SETSAN) said that household food reserves in the affected districts are likely to run out in the next three months.

As from September, he warned, humanitarian food aid would become urgent to ensure that vulnerable households would have enough to eat.

The worst situation is in Tete and Gaza. In each of these provinces seven districts are affected. Three districts are at risk in Inhambane, and three in Sofala.

Source: AIM