WORLD
FOOD PROGRAMME
FOOD AND
AGRICULTURE
ORGANIZATION
A Joint FAO/WFP Report on the Crop and Food Situation in the Country
for the Development Partners Group Meeting of May 2007
Highlights
1.
Government of Tanzania through a regional project will receive
USAID support for the Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in livestock. Additional
funds have been provided through the UN CERF support. This support
will be used for disease surveillance and diagnostic work.
The
Ministry of Livestock is working with FAO to procure the necessary
laboratory and field supplies for collection of samples and diagnosis.
Government has also recently finalized National Avian and Human
Influenza Emergency Preparedness & Response Action plan
2.
Agricultural production prospects for the 2006/07 season are still
good and both current and outlook food security conditions in
Tanzania are generally favourable.
3.
A critical mass of extension staff and some farmers in the armyworm
prone areas have been trained on early prediction of their outbreak
using European Commission contribution.
4.
Food security in Tanzania is currently generally favourable, as food is
available in most of the markets.
5.
The SGR stocks as of 30th April 2007 was 121,000 Mts, with 50% of
the total stocks held in the southern highland zone.
1
UN-FAO
1.
Rift Valley Fever (RVF)
In response to the Government appeal to the donor community to help in containing
the Rift Valley Fever (RVF) outbreak in Tanzania which started in January this year
and spread rapidly in many regions, USAID contributed USD 1.3 million through FAO,
to be shared among four countries in the region (Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia and
Ethiopia. The Ministry of Livestock Development (MLD) and FAO are currently
working together to procure the necessary and priority supplies for carrying out
surveillance, diagnosis, awareness raising campaigns among livestock keepers and
the meat industry, as well as the general public. This support for surveillance and
diagnosis will help greatly to guide the on-going government programme on selective
vaccination. The interventions aim at reducing the short and long term potential
socio-economic impact of RVF in particular on loss of lives, food security for pastoral
communities and the livestock industry.
2.
Progress of the 2006/07 Agricultural Production Season and Food
Security Conditions
Most parts of the country were dry in the last dekad (April 21-30), except areas
along the coast and in the Lake Victoria Basin, both of which received moderate
rains. However, the intensities were below the long term averages. The drier than
normal conditions have not seriously affected crops in the field as the crops are
already at the maturity stage of growth, particularly in the unimodal areas. On the
other hand, vegetation was deteriorating and greeness during the third dekad of
April was below the long-term average. While the conditions raise no alarm on
current and near future domestic supply and availability of major food commodities,
there is concern that in the event that rainfall ceases earlier than normal pastoralists,
can experience inadequate pasture, which can trigger abnormal immigrations of
pastoralists and their livestock later during the year. It is therefore necessary to
monitor the situation closely in order to be able to take timely interventions.
3.
Early Warning Activities on Armyworm Outbreaks
During 2006, a number of donors made contributions in response to the government
appeal to control armyworm outbreaks. The funds were used to procure chemicals,
equipment and supplies as well as provide training of Village Agricultural Extension
Officers and farming communities and equipment in order to strengthen the
country’s early warning system and rapid response mechanisms. .
The equipment procured for early warning purposes include traps and rain-gauges,
which have been delivered at Tengeru for subsequent distribution in districts. On
training a number of pamphlets and posters were printed and have as well been
delivered at Tengeru. Training conducted through workshops in the regions of Tanga,
Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Manyara, Lindi, Mtwara and Morogoro between January and end
of April this year has reached 871 Village Agricultural Extension Officers and 232
farmers.
2
UN World Food Programme
4.
Food Security 2007
Food security in Tanzania continued to remain satisfactory in most areas as food is
available in most of the markets, with new supplies from vuli harvests in the bimodal
rainfall areas replenishing the household reserves. Prices of the major staples are
stable and in many markets are reported to be low compared to last year and the
five-year average prices, corresponding to this period. In the unimodal rainfall areas,
most households have good access to food taking advantage of low cereal prices
currently in the market, notably maize.
On the other hand, condition of the livestock have improved following the readily
availability of pasture and water levels. Overall, there is adequate forage for
livestock, and the areas that experienced forage deficit during 2006 have recovered.
The animal prices have improved due to their improved conditions, resulting to
better terms of trade between livestock and cereals. However, the presence of rift
valley fever (RVF) in many of the pastoralists areas has affected the marketing of the
animals and hence the income and livelihood of the pastoralists.
5.
Government Stocks
The Government strategic grain reserve (SGR) stock as of 30 April 2007 was
121,000 Mts held in its seven strategic zones (table below). Out of this amount,
60,000 Mts or about 50% of the total stocks are currently held in the southern SGR
zonal offices of Makambako, Songea and Sumbawanga. As part of its recycling plan,
the Government will sell to WFP a total of 7,597 Mts of maize from its reserve in
Shinyanga and Dodoma. The purchase is part of the WFP local procurement for
refugees’ pipeline.
Zone
Arusha
Dodoma
Kipawa
Sumbawanga
Shinyanga
Makambako/Songea
Total
Amount (Mts)
12,000
20,000
24,000
25,000
5,000
35,000
121,000
3
Storage capacity (Mts)
39,000
30,000
52,000
28,000
10,000
46,000
205,000