Mozambique: South, Cabo Delgado coast threatened by food insecurity – report

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Mozambique: South, Cabo Delgado coast threatened by food insecurity – report

8:04 CAT | 03 Mar 2020

File photo: Lusa

The South of Mozambique and the coastal area of Cabo Delgado, in the north, are the most threatened areas on the map of the Famine Early Warning Systems Network – Fews Net, which brings together North American organisations.

The drought that has been dragging on for several years has conditioned agricultural production in the south, while armed violence has led to the abandonment of fields in the north, according to the forecast made until September and consulted on Monday by Lusa.

The most affected areas are in a crisis (level three out of a total of one, minimum to five, maximum risk of famine), and there are still several regions in the centre that will spend the year under stress (level two) because they are still trying to recover from the damage caused by the 2019 cyclones.

The report said that humanitarian food assistance prevents more severe situations.

The document pointed out that the price of maize grains is 25% to 75% above 2019 prices and 25% to 55% above average due to below-market supply.

The abnormally high price of staple foods will decrease purchasing power among poor households, leading to acute food insecurity in areas where households depend heavily on markets, including the southern region, it said.

The FEWS Net was created by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in 1985 to support decision-making in humanitarian support management.

To read the full FEWS Net report, click HERE.

Source: Lusa