Regional food security conditions to remain favorable through September 2012

Key Messages

• Favorable food security conditions are exist across the region; most staple foods are readily available and accessible from both own production and local markets. These conditions are expected to prevail through the Outlook period and beyond, especially in areas that had a favorable agricultural production season.

• Local markets remain adequately stocked with staple foods from current harvests and last year’s carry-over stocks that are still being off-loaded onto the markets. This has stabilized staple food supplies resulting in significant price reductions. The drop in food prices has been beneficial to market-dependent households that faced abovenormal prices during the lean season that ended in February/March.

• The most likely regional food security Outlook projecting satisfactory conditions through September 2012 as a result of average to above-average cereal harvests in many countries in the region remains valid. Food security conditions continue to improve in most areas as households benefit from recent harvests and declining food prices. In many locations these conditions are expected to persist until the start of the lean season (October/November).

• Despite generally satisfactory national food availability, there are localized areas that face acute food insecurity due to livelihoods shocks that have compromised food availability and access. These include parts of southern Malawi, the semi-arid districts of southern and central Mozambique, parts of the southern provinces of Zimbabwe, and most parts of Lesotho. Governments and partners will need to put in place necessary measures to address the needs of these vulnerable populations.