FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
- An estimated 1.6 million people remain in need of emergency assistance
- Favourable prospects for the 2010 long-rains season crops
- Maize prices continue to decline
Favourable prospects for production of 2010 long-rains season crops
The 2010 long-rains season have started 2-4 weeks earlier than usual with the onset of rains from mid-February and early March in most cropping areas. Precipitation has been abundant and generally well distributed so far. Forecasts also indicate good rains to continue into June. Heavy rains in March and April have caused localised floods and landslides in Rift Valley, North-eastern, Coast, Western and Nyanza provinces, affecting about 130 000 people and causing damage to infrastructures, crops and livestock.
Planting of 2010 long rains maize crop is complete and planted area is estimated at an above average 1.8 million hectares. The introduction of governmental price subsidies for fertilizers as well as the attractive maize prices registered in 2009 are considered to be behind the increase. In particular, about 200 000 small farmers received seeds and fertilizers through the National Accelerated Agricultural Input Access Program. The shorter interval this year between the end of 2009/10 short rains and the beginning of 2010 long rains may have limited proper land preparation and thus the increase in the extent of planted area.
Prospects for the 2010 maize crop are highly favourable, but continued rains are needed until August, especially in key growing areas of the Rift Valley where harvest is expected to start from October.