One in five Swazis in food crisis, need ‘urgent humanitarian assistance’

More than one in five people in Swaziland (eSwatini) face food shortages that require ‘urgent humanitarian assistance,’ according to the latest hunger analysis of the kingdom.

Nearly 262,000 of Swaziland’s estimated 1.2 million population are affected. A further 342,000 people are in a state of stress, according to the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) analysis covering the three months up to September 2021.

The situation is slightly worse than last year and it is expected to continue deteriorating, IPC reported.

‘The likely impact of the COVID-19 [coronavirus] pandemic, high commodity prices and poor performance of the agricultural season will greatly influence this increase,’ it added.

It said, ‘The outbreak of Covid-19 negatively impacted the livelihoods of households through the mitigation actions, such as lockdowns, taken to prevent the spread of the virus.’

It added dry spells in November and December 2020 reduced harvests and above normal rains in February 2021 caused flooding and crop damage in some areas.

It recommended, ‘Government and development partners should consider providing the urgently-needed resources to enable sourcing and delivery of critical life-saving food assistance to populations facing significant food consumption gaps.’

See also

Swaziland girls, 15, sell selves for sex to feed families impoverished by coronavirus lockdown

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2021/04/girls-15-sell-selves-for-sex-to-feed.html

 

Nearly 60,000 people in Swaziland face looming starvation and death: Save The Children https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2021/03/nearly-60000-people-in-swaziland-face.html

 

‘Urgent action needed to save lives’ as hunger grips Swaziland https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2021/02/urgent-action-needed-to-save-lives-as.html

 

One in three people in Swaziland in urgent need of food, Deputy PM reports https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/12/one-in-three-people-in-swaziland-in.html

Hunger continues to sweep across Swaziland, one third of population badly hit

Hunger continues to grip Swaziland (eSwatini) and the European Union has donated 1.4 million euros (US$1.6 million) to help feed up to 94,000 families in the coming year.

 

The money will be used to support the World Wood Programme’s (WFP) efforts in rural and urban areas of Manzini, Lubombo and Hhohho regions.

 

Cash will be transferred monthly to destitute families. About one third of the kingdom’s estimated 1.1 million people are reported to be vulnerable to hunger. Poor crops and the effects of coronavirus (COVID-19) are mostly blamed for the situation.

 

Cissy Byenkya, WFP’s Head of Office in Swaziland said, ‘This timely contribution will help us address deepening food insecurity and malnutrition in children, particularly orphans, pregnant and breast-feeding women, and people living with HIV and AIDS.’

 

Hunger is reportedly sweeping across Swaziland. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) in a report published in August 2020 said about 366,000 people faced ‘high acute food insecurity’ in the coming months.

 

The IPC analysis was undertaken for rural and urban areas in Swaziland; comprising of four rural districts: (Manzini, Shiselweni, Lubombo and Hhohho); and two urban districts; (Hhohho urban and Manzini urban). At present, 32 percent of the rural population (292,794 people) and 17 percent of the urban population (37,424 people) are in crisis.

 

Compared with 2019, the kingdom’s food insecurity situation has deteriorated.

 

IPC reported The COVID-19 pandemic had compounded the food insecurity situation, leading to an estimated 37 percent of households with reduced income and 26.9 percent with reported loss of employment. 

 

See also

 

Hunger sweeping across Swaziland and is going to get worse, new report suggests

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/08/hunger-sweeping-across-swaziland-and-is.html

 

EU steps up to feed destitute during coronavirus crisis as Swaziland Govt. stumbles to deliver aid

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/07/eu-steps-up-to-feed-destitute-during.html

 

Only four in ten receive food aid in Swaziland Govt coronavirus scheme, a month after deadline

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/06/only-four-in-ten-receive-food-aid-in.html
 

People face ‘imminent death from hunger’ in Swaziland as coronavirus lockdown hits poorest

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/04/people-face-imminent-death-from-hunger.html

Hunger sweeping across Swaziland and is going to get worse, new report suggests

Nearly one in three people in Swaziland (eSwatini) face severe hunger in the coming months and the situation is getting worse.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is only partly to blame. Before the virus struck in March 2020 the kingdom already faced a crisis because of  poor harvests. But, the impact on jobs of the command by King Mswati III, the kingdom’s absolute monarch, to partially shut down the economy because of the virus has hit hard.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) in a report just published said about 366,000 (32 percent of the population) faced ‘high acute food insecurity’ in the coming months.

The IPC analysis was undertaken for rural and urban areas in Swaziland; comprising of four rural districts: (Manzini, Shiselweni, Lubombo and Hhohho); and two urban districts; (Hhohho urban and Manzini urban). At present, 32 percent of the rural population (292,794 people) and 17 percent of the urban population (37,424 people) are in crisis.

Compared with 2019, the kingdom’s food insecurity situation has deteriorated.

IPC reported The COVID-19 pandemic had compounded the food insecurity situation, leading to an estimated 37 percent of households with reduced income and 26.9 percent with reported loss of employment. 

‘High prevalence of HIV and AIDS and its effects on the productivity of most rural households in the country continue to pose a great threat to a large proportion (26 percent) of the rural population. Lower than normal rainfall, coupled with a high prevalence of disease, during the production season negatively affected food production and availability.’

It added the kingdom had recorded a shortfall in maize production of 71.93 metric tons to meet the 162.32 metric tons domestic requirement for the staple crop. Planned import requirements amount to 61.7 metric tons, with an uncovered food gap of 10.22 metric tons. 

The report stated, ‘COVID-19 restrictions continue to disrupt food supply chains in the country, negatively impacting food availability. Humanitarian assistance programmes have been initiated to provide cash and food relief to ease the COVID 19-induced food challenges. 

‘The greater impact of the pandemic weighs heavily on the rural poor due to the disruption of the informal sector – the mainstay of rural livelihood.’

See also

EU steps up to feed destitute during coronavirus crisis as Swaziland Govt. stumbles to deliver aid

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/07/eu-steps-up-to-feed-destitute-during.html

Only four in ten receive food aid in Swaziland Govt coronavirus scheme, a month after deadline

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/06/only-four-in-ten-receive-food-aid-in.html
 

People face ‘imminent death from hunger’ in Swaziland as coronavirus lockdown hits poorest

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/04/people-face-imminent-death-from-hunger.html

One in five of Swaziland’s rural population need urgent humanitarian assistance against hunger

More than 200,000 people in Swaziland / eSwatini which is one in five of the rural population are experiencing severe food shortages and require urgent humanitarian assistance, a report published on Tuesday (2 July 2019) stated.

And, hunger has got worse since last year. There are about 157,000 people in a ‘crisis situation’ and another 47,000 in an ‘emergency situation’.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) snapshot for the period up to March 2020 stated, ‘In comparison with last year, the situation has deteriorated.’ It added, ‘This deterioration can be attributed to the anticipated drought, which led to farmers choosing not to plant their fields, reducing casual labour opportunities and food availability, with one-fifth of households depleting their assets or engaging in crisis or emergency coping strategies to mitigate moderate to large food gaps.

‘Between October 2019 and March 2020, around 232,000 people (25 percent of the rural population) are estimated that they will likely experience severe acute food insecurity.’

It stated that even if rains are better in the coming year, it is likely that ‘households will run out of food stocks before the end of the year’.

IPC is a multi-partner initiative for improving food security and nutrition analysis and decision-making. It includes the Swaziland government, Red Cross and World Food Program.

In a previous report the World Food Program said it had fallen more than US$9 million short in its fundraising to help ease the hunger crisis gripping Swaziland. That amounted to only 47 percent of the US$17.4 million it hoped to raise.

See also

World Food Program falls short in fundraising as hunger grips Swaziland and King spends lavishly on himself

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2019/07/world-food-program-falls-short-in.html