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 (DPG) Meeting of October 2006.
Highlights
1. FAO is in the process to procure seed aid based on the February 2006
Government appeal. However, the seed allocations to different districts have been reviewed in line with the August RVA recommendations.
2. The month of September was dry over most of the country, the situation that facilitated transportation of marketable crop produce from major producing to crop deficit areas.
3. The Food Security Information Team (FSIT) submitted the report to the
Government on the Rapid Vulnerability Assessment (RVA) it carried out in 58 districts from end of July through mid-August. The RVA recommended providing over 651,600 persons from 122,100 households with 15,600 MT of food in November and December this year and nearly
1,220 MT of seed (maize equivalent) for planting this season.
4. As of 2 nd October a total of 13,349.34 MT of food have been distributed to 394,776 people.
5. Based on the Government request, WFP extended its EMOP.
1. Procurement and distribution of emergency seeds
Government requested FAO in the second week of last month to provide households hit hard by the 2005/06-production year long dry spell with seed aid. The request came when FAO was finalizing arrangements to procure approximately 1,220 MT, part of the donor contributions to emergency seed appealed for in February 2006. This amount was reserved for unimodal rainfall areas for planting in the 2006/07 cropping season. Since the districts’ requirements in the new request vary from the prior plan, re-planning stalled the procurement and distribution process but all efforts are being made for timely distribution of the seed.
2. Seasonal progress
The month of September was dry over much of the country. This situation facilitated transportation of marketable crop produce from the major producing to deficit areas. The situation also allowed good progress of preparations for the coming season, for example land preparation and acquisition of seasonal inputs, in both the unimodal and bimodal rainfall areas.
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On the other hand, the dry conditions accelerated the diminishing of vegetation in many locations. However, vegetation did not deteriorate to alarming levels as no major abnormal migrations by pastoralists have been reported so far.
The Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) released a forecast in mid-September showing that the 2006/07 vuli rains were expected to commence during the second and third week of September in Kagera and northern parts of Kigoma region, gradually spreading to other areas in the Lake Victoria Basin during the fourth week. These rains are expected to start during in first week of October in the northern coastal areas and between the third and fourth week of October in the northeastern highlands. There is likelihood for the rains to be normal to above normal in the Lake Victoria Basin, mainly above normal but with areas of normal rains in northern coastal areas and mainly normal with areas of below normal rains in the northeastern highlands.
TMA forecast the msimu rains to start in the first week of November in western areas and third and fourth week of the month in the central, southern and southwestern areas.
Whereas there is likelihood of the rains being normal to above normal in western areas, it is likely that they will be normal over most of the central, southern and southwestern areas and below normal in parts of Iringa, Mbeya, Rukwa and Ruvuma regions.
UNWFP
3. Rapid Vulnerability Assessment conducted in July/August
The Food Security Information Team (FSIT) and partners conducted a Rapid
Vulnerability Assessment (RVA) in 58 districts, in 14 regions of Arusha, Coast, Dodoma,
Iringa, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mwanza, Shinyanga, Singida,
Tabora and Tanga from end of July through mid-August. The RVA identified 651,654 persons as highly food insecure, requiring 15,622 MT of food aid between November and December, 2006. FSIT recommended that government contribute 7,030 MT to be sold to about 293,000 people on subsidized price and WFP to contribute 8,590 MT for free distribution to the 360,000 food insecure and destitute people through extending
EMOP.
4. WFP Emergency Operation (EMOP)
As of 2 nd October a total of 13,349.34 MT of food have been distributed to 394,776 people.
Based on the Government request dated 7 th September 2006, WFP extended the EMOP without increasing the original budget. The EMOP now continues for four additional months until 31 st January 2007, which will allow support to the most vulnerable people during the planting season (November-December).
WFP with its cooperating partners will distribute two months ration beginning in
November, the total of approximately 7,500 MT of maize to estimated 310,000 people in
Arusha, Dodoma, Mwanza, Shinyanga, Singida and Tabora regions.
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