Summary for 4th Quarter 2009
- Although food and fuel prices have dropped to reasonably stable levels, the price of maize meal remains high. These high prices impact the poor and unemployed urban populations, in particular HIV patients, who rely on purchases for their food.
- According to the weather forecast reports from the Lesotho Meteorological Department and from the SADC Drought Monitoring Centre, Southern African countries, including Lesotho, are likely to face low rainfall in the coming months, which may pose a great risk to agricultural activities and livelihoods of poor households in the country.
- The Lesotho Vulnerability Analysis Committee (LVAC) assessed that about 450,000 people would need humanitarian assistance in 2010.
- The El Niño phenomenon is expected to affect Lesotho by causing prolonged dry spells from early 2010. Consequently, households will suffer from low crop production and will require food assistance support. In anticipation, the Disaster Management Authority is preparing a contingency plan in consultation with stakeholders in Government, UN and Non-government Organisations.
- Preliminary information from the MoAgFS indicates 123,051 ha of land had been planted to crops by end of December 2009. This represents a decrease of 41,532 ha (25%) over the previous season. However, area planted has increased in Berea and Thaba Tseka Districts.