Regional food security threatened in Southern Africa

AllAfrica.com via the Herald (Zimbabwe): "The rain patterns here have really changed, it's different from the old days when you would be sure of a bumper harvest after the rains," says 70-year old Haruzive Gunge, of drought-prone Chivi District of Masvingo Province, 350 km from Zimbabwe's capital, Harare.

For more than four decades now, life has not been easy for Gunge and other smallholder farmers in this harsh, semi-arid environment. He says things have become worse these days. "There are no good rains to talk about anymore," he says bitterly. "It looks like the sun has come closer to us - judging from the sweltering heat," he complains.

Although Gunge lives in Zimbabwe, his is a common story throughout Southern Africa. Observations being made by smallholder farmers like Gunge confirm scientific evidence which shows that climate change exists and is occurring at an alarming rate.

…Climate change will have a significant impact on southern Africa's already vulnerable food security, environmental experts have warned. It already costs Southern Africa five to 10 percent of its Gross Domestic Product. This implies a loss of between 10 and 21 billion dollars each year - in a region where nearly half the population is living on less than a dollar a day.

…According to the Interpress Service (IPS), a development news and features agency, since 2007, erratic rainfall has led to increased food shortages in Southern Africa where droughts damaged and destroyed maize crops in Lesotho, Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

As a result, southern Africa faced a shortfall of 2,18 million metric tonnes of maize in 2006. According to researchers of the Southern African Development Community (SADC); people in the region lacked more than four million metric tonnes of maize in 2007/2008….

Shona farms in Zimbabwe, shot by Ulamm