Tanzania among the few nations prepared against hunger, but …
Written by YAKOBE CHIWAMBO
Friday, 14 October 2011 13:08
YAKOBE CHIWAMBO
ALTHOUGH Tanzania has been identified as one of the few countries of
the world which are relatively well prepared for the global triple
crises of ‘climate change, depleted natural resources and skyrocketing
food prices’ that could dwarf world’s ability to feed its people, the
country has nonetheless been advised to carefully balance the
temptation of projected profits from bio-fuel plantations against the
critical need to improve the national food security.
According to an October 10, 2011 report by ActionAid titled ‘On the
Brink: who’s best prepared for a climate and hunger crisis?’ Tanzania
has emerged ‘the second most-prepared country in that regard within
the 5-member East Africa Community.
Rwanda is the most-prepared in the region, while Uganda is the third;
Burundi the fourth – and Kenya, the biggest economy in the Community,
is adjudged the least-prepared of the five!
Of the 28 countries that were surveyed by ActionAid – an international
organisation working in more than 40 countries for a world free from
hunger and injustice – Brazil was found to be the country that is the
most prepared worldwide against the triple-crises.
In Africa, Malawi wa found to be the most prepared Africa, followed by
Rwanda, Ethiopia and Tanzania in that order!
On the other hand, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi,
South Africa, Haiti, Bangladesh and Zambia are among the most
vulnerable to the triple crisis globally.
Dwelling specifically on Tanzania – a country that has been
prioritizing it’s agricultural budget through the ‘Kilimo Kwanza’
(Agriculture First) drive to bring about a green revolution by 2015 –
ActionAid warns in its report against allocating thousands of hectares
of land for bio-fuel production.
“With more than 40 per cent of Tanzania’s population living with
chronic food shortages – and nearly as many children under the age of
five classified as chronically malnourished – Tanzania must carefully
balance the temptation of projected profits from bio-fuel plantations
against the critical need to improve the country’s food security,” the
report reads in part.
About 2.5 million hectares of Tanzania’s land have been identified as
‘suitable’ for investment projects – and, by 2009, almost 640,000
hectares had been allocated for bio-fuel production. These investments
must be carefully weighed against their impacts on food security and
human rights, the report cautions.
With massive investments in bio-fuel production projected in
developing countries, Tanzania reportedly plans to raise incomes and
alleviate poverty by 2025 using a Rural Financial Services Programme
that hinges on a rural micro-finance policy.
Loans will need to be hefty enough to enable farmers to invest in new
farming equipment. Currently, about 70 per cent of Tanzania’s crops
are cultivated using the hand-hoe, 20 per cent by ox-plough and only
ten per cent by tractor.
In 2011, the report says, Tanzania experienced double-digit food
inflation. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) also rose by roughly ten per
cent.
In May 2011, maize was trading at 40 to 50 per cent above prices seen
in the previous year. In response, the government introduced a
short-term ban on cereal exports to boost national stocks and contain
inflation.However, the ban seems to be difficult to enforce, as some
businessmen still smuggle maize to starving neigbours especially Kenya
where maize is fetching good prices, ActionAid notes.
Rampant food inflation, alongside decreasing crop yields in some parts
of Tanzania, has left some communities eating less. For example,
ActionAid surveys conducted in the central region around Singida found
crop harvests have steadily decreased, while food prices have steadily
increased. The lack of food in the Singida area has resulted in 85 per
cent of households cutting back on their food intake, with adults
eating once, children generally receiving two small meals and women
eating the least!
Hunger statistics in Kenya show that they are headed in the
wrong direction and, with much of the Government’s attention focused
on the immediate impact of a regional drought and famine, long-term
investments that could better protect Kenyans against global food
price hikes and the impacts of climate change are suffering.
Hunger in some parts of Tanzania
Life in at least 56 districts in central, north and northeastern
Tanzania will remain difficult following poor performance of the vuli
and masika rains in the bimodal areas; and below normal msimu rains in
the unimodal areas says Famine Early Warning System (FEWS)
According to FEWS, many poor household in these areas are dependent on
markets for food supplies at this time – when food prices across the
country have continued to rise, abnormally.
Persistent high food prices are mainly due to a 40 per cent decrease
in normal production for maize, rice, sorghum, millet, sweet potatoes,
cassava, and bean crops in central (Dodoma, Singida, parts of Tabora),
northern (Lake
Victoria areas of Shinyanga, Mara and Mwanza), and northeastern areas
(Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Tanga and Manyara).
Maize prices have remained between 50-95 per cent above the last five
years’ average in deficit areas of central, north, and northeastern
Tanzania and between 10-25 per cent in surplus areas of southern
highlands.
Compared to July 2011 prices, August prices have shown a mixed trend –
increasing in some markets and decreasing in other markets. Price
increases in the surplus areas might be responding to the Government
purchases of maize to restock the National Food Reserves Agency (NFRA)
that was at 148,000MT at the beginning of the consumption year (July),
compared to the maximum capacity that was reached last year of
210,000MT.
High transportation costs, increasing regional demand for maize, and
decreasing food stocks as the lean season approaches will likely keep
food prices high until the next harvest from the vuli season in
January in the bimodal areas and April in the unimodal areas.
The Government of Tanzania is currently providing food assistance in
pastoral areas.
Inadequate vuli rains resulted in an 18 per cent decrease in the
vuli-2010/2011 season harvest for maize, beans, cassava, and potatoes.
This was followed by a 20 to 40 per cent decrease in masika season
crop production earlier this year.
Currently, many poor households have inadequate food supplies at the
household level. In addition, poor rainfall has caused the resurgence
of cassava mosaic disease that has affected cassava production.
Cassava is normally used as a staple and buffer crop in times of
reduced cereal production.
Food crop prices have remained high across the Lake Victoria areas
(Mara, Mwanza and Shinyanga). Maize prices for Mwanza market in August
were 95 per cent above the five-year average, and 30 per cent above
the same
time last year.
Prices will most likely continue to increase due to high
transportation costs and decreased food crop production, as well as
increasing regional and global cereal prices and ongoing government
purchases to replenish NFRA.
the writer can be reached on +255 784707798