ANGOLA NO ALERT Food Security Update WATCH WARNING June 2006 EMERGENCY
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ALERT STATUS: ANGOLA NO ALERT Food Security Update WATCH WARNING June 2006 EMERGENCY CONTENTS Summary and implications Timeline of current events ........................ 1 This report draws from information collected during a June trip to the central and southern Season performance ................................. 2 parts of Angola to determine (i) to what extent drought resistant crops such as sorghum, Production outlook ..................................... 2 millet, cassava and sweet potato, as well as cultivation in the “nacas” (residual moisture Food security and nutrition ........................ 4 cultivation) and use of irrigation, could serve as alternative sources of food and income, Prices and flow of products........................ 5 given the failed maize harvest; and (ii) to observe the progress in the distribution of inputs to Government appeal and interventions taken ................................................................... 5 support winter cultivation. A poor maize harvest is expected from these districts. However, Recommendations..................................... 6 the newness of the alternative crops, lack of seeds, lack of technical assistance and limited experience with these crops resulted in only a small proportion of rural households cultivating alternatives and, therefore, expect only limited harvest this year from cassava, sorghum, millet or sweet potato crops. Soil moisture and surface water were adequate during June for cultivation in nacas and for gravity fed irrigation. While this practice is well known in Central Angola during winter months, the comparatively small amount of land currently available for nacas cultivation has limited the number of households that can benefit from this second season cropping system. Government and NGO efforts to distribute inputs (seeds and fertilizers), implements and pumps continued in June. However, limited coverage continued to affect the input supply and services being provided to smallholders. Smallholders also reported problems related to the differences between input costs and output prices. The percentage of households cultivating nacas is therefore relatively small. According to some key informants, the maize harvest in the center and south ranges between 40% – 70% of normal. Less than 20% of households are expected to be able to harvest other more drought resistant crops which were thought to be able to provide alternative food access if maize and beans harvests were compromised. No abnormal situation is expected relative to livestock, as most observed animals appeared healthy. Pasture also looked greener, and “chimpacas” (ponds), were half-full of water and could last until August/September when transhumance starts. Overall, the drought did not negatively impact all areas of production, as there are some districts with surplus grains supplying the deficit ones. However, transaction costs are high as the road system between districts needs major work. The price variations for crop and livestock in markets did not provide any sign of major food shortages or access difficulties. With the poor harvest and food aid programming reduced, returning refugees and IDPs are among the most affected groups. Fishing, collection of baobab fruit and the sale of charcoal are among some of the coping strategies being used to generate income. Some households have also started adjusting their diet by eating low quality foods and by reducing the number of meals. Rural households in districts such as Tchinjenji, Ukuma in Huambo, Chongoroi, Cubal, Caimbambo and Bocoio in Benguela and Camucuo and Bibala in Namibe are likely to be most hit by food shortages. It is generally accepted that rural households in affected districts will exhaust their household maize stocks by September. There is an expectation that there will be a sharp increase in the numbers of malnourished children less than five years of age. While there is no need for large scale food aid, support for school feeding and pediatric nutrition centers should continue. Very targeted distribution of food aid to households in need might be considered if monitoring shows additional need. MINARS has already acted by providing some assistance in the form of maize flour, rice, oil, soap, canned products and bed sheets in the affected districts. Interventions that need to be considered and supported to improve the food security situation, including assessments, are both of an emergency and development nature. This June report only focuses on the longer term solutions, including crop diversification, livestock reconstitution and marketing and utilization of wild foods. These actions need to accompany low cost irrigation technology, strengthened input markets and farm credit systems. The report concludes with some recommendations for these priorities. Address: Ministério de Agricultura e FEWS NET is funded by United State Agency for International Phone: +244 92 469 4034 Desenvolvimento Rural Development (USAID) E-mail:[email protected] Largo António Jacinto, www.fews.net 2º Andar, Luanda, Angola ANGOLA: FOOD SECURITY UPDATE June 2006 Timeline of current events Small dry Dry period First rainy period Second rainy period spell Average duration of food Lean Period JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY Third planting phase First planting phase Second planting phase Cereal Harvest Nacas Harvest Beans harvest Seasonal performance Normally, there is no rainfall in June that benefits agricultural production. However, dry season farming is undertaken through nacas and via-gravity fed or hand irrigation. During the June field trip, cropping in nacas was in advanced stages in Bie, which contrasted with Kwanza Sul, Huambo, Benguela and Huila, where smallholders were still waiting for waters to start receding before cultivating in the moisture-rich soil left behind. Production outlook In June most smallholders were still harvesting maize and beans. However, as reported earlier, poor seasonal rainfall negatively affected this harvest. A reduced harvest is also expected from cassava, sorghum, millet or sweet potato fields in the costal areas of Benguela due to the limited experience households there have in this kind of winter season farming. Nevertheless, the transition and interior districts of Kwanza Sul (Gabela and Quibala), Benguela and Huambo provide better prospects for the harvest of these crops. However, the proportion of households involved in their cultivation is relatively small because of the newness of these crops in these provinces. Sorghum and millet are more important crops in Huila, Cunene and Namibe. During the June visit extensive cultivation of sweet potato was only observed in Caconda and Caluquembe (Huila). Stakeholders continue to indicate that lack of planting material was the main reason for the poor adoption of orange sweet potato as an alternative crop. There is a need for continued promotion of drought resistant crops to ensure adequate harvests during below normal rainy seasons that frequently affect these regions. However, there is a tendency for maize expansion into southern districts because of consumer preferences, immigration of people from Huambo, Bie and Benguela, and the availability of processing and marketing facilities for maize. As the south is much drier, there is a need for the national research institution, along with other specialized institutions, to develop drought resistant, short-cycle maize and develop improved techniques to process and market cassava, sorghum, millet and sweet potato to enlarge demand for these products. NACAS CULTIVATION Unlike rain-fed cultivation during the main rainy season, cultivation in the nacas rarely fails. Smallholders in Bie had already planted potatoes in nacas by May. However, except for Bie and Huambo provinces, land resources in nacas are very limited. There is also limited information about land-resources in nacas, the number/proportion of households involved in their cultivation and their characteristics, the size of the fields, crops cultivated, constraints and other information about the nacas. Given its importance to the overall food security situation of rural households, there is a need for a more thorough study of nacas potential. Such research, likely conducted by the IIA and IDA, could identify keys recommendations for improving production and productivity in the nacas. INPUTS Some provincial IDAs have already received cereals and bean seeds, as well as fertilizer from MINADER, which will allow smallholders to cultivate during the winter off-season and compensate for regular season losses. Smallholders are being provided with some 5-10 kg of seed per household, however, input assistance is relatively small compared with the high number of farmers willing to cultivate during the winter period. Increased involvement by NGOs in promoting the cultivation of nacas could complement government efforts. The quantity of vegetable seed being distributed is also limited, as private input providers are the more important suppliers of vegetable seed in rural areas. However, poor households have difficulty accessing vegetable seeds without some assistance from organizations such as Save the Children and CARITAS, which have helped in the distribution of vegetable seeds among the most vulnerable populations. The quality of seed distributed to smallholders also continues to be a problem. There is a need for a proper seed certification by competent institutions (e.g. Programa de Certificação e Fiscalização de Sementes), for both imported