DECLARATION OF STATE OF FAMINE BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE PRIME MINISTER, MR PAKALITHA MOSISILI
	Fellow Countrymen, I address you today on a matter of grave concern to your Government, namely the very critical state of famine. In fact, to be precise and to the point at the very outset I regret to formally declare that Lesotho is in a very serious state of famine. Lesotho is currently facing this serious food shortage due to a number of factors. The country has for a number of years been experiencing structural food deficits. Persistent drought, hailstorms, tornados, excessive rains and other unfavourable natural forces have resulted in continued food deficits over the years. Following the unfortunate events of September 11, 2001 in United States, the low exchange rate of Loti to the Dollar has resulted in price increases of imports and other goods, including grain, thus further aggravating the problem. The agricultural year 2001/2002 was characterised by abnormally high rainfall which adversely affected production of cereal crops. The heavy rains which started in March, 2001 hampered and delayed planting of the winter crops. The planting of the Summer crops was also hampered by heavy rains which started from September, 2001 through to January, 2002. A substantial acreage was not planted for the same reasons as in the case of the winter crops. The problem was exacerbated by repeated hailstorms experienced in some areas. Furthermore, the heavy rains and hailstorms delayed the harvesting of wheat which affected both the quality and the quantity of the harvest. These unfavourable conditions prevailed despite Government assistance to farmers over the years. In 1998/99 an amount of M24,000,000 was set aside and utilized to purchase seed and fertilizer which was distributed to farmers at a highly reduced price. During the cropping season of 2001/02, Government allocated an amount of M15,000,000 to meet farmers half way in cultivating their lands. Government was paying fifty percent of the cost of cultivation/ploughing while the farmer paid the other half. During the same period, an amount of M7,000,000 was utilized for purchasing seed and fertilizer that was distributed and sold at a very low price. Preliminary indicators are that there will be a very low harvest of cereal in 2002/03, resulting in a cereal food deficit of about 220,000 metric tons made up as follows:- 135,000 metric tons of maize, 92,000 metric tons of wheat and a sorghum surplus of 8,860 metric tons. On the other hand, the total annual food grain requirements are 400,000 metric tons while the total domestic supply is only about 180,000 metric tons. Hence the deficit of 200,000 metric tons referred to earlier. The high unemployment rate estimated at over Thirty per cent (30%) and the high level of poverty estimated at over Fifty per cent (50%) of Two Million Basotho have aggravated the prevailing famine situation in the Country. Furthermore, the purchasing power has generally fallen within the Country resulting in families surviving without food or on one meal per day. In some areas famine is beginning to claim lives and worsen malnutrition among children. Moreover, HIV/AIDS is claiming more and more lives because some of the infected persons cannot have nutritious meals which could pro-long their lives. In the circumstances Government has decided to declare a state of famine in the Country. Government, through various agencies and, with the assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme, is currently undertaking rapid but detailed surveys to assess the situation country-wide with a view to obtaining exact figures of people affected, their location, amount of food required and the type of assistance needed. While awaiting the results of the survey, the Government has set aside M23 Million for immediate intervention through provision of food assistance, supplementary feeding to the under-fives and subsidy to vulnerable households for a period of one year starting from 1 May, 2002. Government intervention will thus be as follows:- (i) direct food assistance of unsifted maize-meal and beans will be provided to the elderly, orphans, the sick, the disabled and the unemployed with no source of income. The total cost of this will be M10 million; (ii) a subsidy of Twenty per cent (20%) of the market price of unsifted maize-meal will be provided to the rest of the population, to the tune of M4,000,000; (iii) M4 Million will be allocated for vulnerable households and the on-going supplementary feeding scheme for the under-fives; (iv) M5 million will be provided to cover transport costs for these food-stuffs throughout the country; An information and communication strategy will be immediately developed to inform the public about this declaration and its benefits, including subsidies on cereal food and the distribution of food aid to the needy. In view of the foregoing, I wish to call on the Friends of Lesotho, SADC Member States and all Cooperating Partners to assist to redress the famine situation in Lesotho. Let me conclude this Statement by informing the nation that the above interventions are immediate and short-term. On the medium term Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperatives and Land Reclamation will assist with a subsidy for cultivation and supply of inputs amounting to M15,000,000 to facilitate a smooth winter cropping. The Ministry will also provide funds for the summer cropping to ensure sustainable food production. KHOTSO! PULA!! NALA!!! 19 April, 2002
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