Lesotho is facing a fourth successive year of severe food insecurity. An early assessment of the 2004/5 harvest shows that there will be some improvement in the cereal yield, although it is expected to be below the five year average.

Poor harvests led the government to declare a state of emergency in February last year, and to appeal for international assistance. The World Food Programme (WFP) says factors resulting in poor food production include erratic rains, a reduction in the area cultivated and very limited use of fertilizers.

The WFP plans to feed 600 000 Lesotho people a month from this year - a figure that will gradually drop to 80 000 by the final quarter of 2007.

17 May 2005