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2018 Crop production is expected to be lower than previous season

  • Remote Monitoring Report
  • Lesotho
  • April 2018
2018 Crop production is expected to be lower than previous season

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  • Key Messages
  • PROJECTED OUTLOOK THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2018
  • Key Messages
    • Following the Bureau of Statistics (BoS) crop assessment in March, heavy rains, flash flooding, and hailstorms are reported to have damaged crops and livestock and destroyed housing in Quthing, Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek and Thaba-theka districts. Although the official results from the 2018 BoS crop assessment have not yet been released, preliminary findings indicated that 2018 production will be below 2017 production levels.

    • Most poor households are experiencing Minimal (IPC Phase 1) food insecurity because they are accessing food from their early harvests, making purchases, and earning in-kind payments from harvest-related labor. Nonetheless, opportunities for on-farm labor have been affected by the reduced production this season, especially in areas where crops were damaged from the hailstorm. From June-September Stressed (IPC Phase 2) area outcomes are projected as food security is expected to deteriorate among poor households that experienced a below-normal harvest.

    DISTRICT

    CURRENT ANOMALIES

    PROJECTED ANOMALIES

    Mafeteng, Butha Buthe, Leribe, Mokhotlong, Mohale’s Hoek, and Quthing

    • Below-normal harvest
    • Below-normal labor opportunities from harvest

     

    • Early depletion of own-produced food stocks
    • Reduced income and food from casual labor opportunities.

     


    PROJECTED OUTLOOK THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2018

    For the majority of crops, increased February and March rainfall was not able to reverse earlier damage due to the long dry spells in December and January. The Bureau of Statistics (BoS) conducted a crop assessment in March, but the official results have not yet been released. Following the BoS crop survey In March, heavy rains, flooding, and hailstorms are reported to have damaged crops and livestock and destroyed housing in Quthing, Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek and Thaba-theka districts. Temperatures also dropped in March, resulting in snow in some highland areas. According to a WFP Food Security Update for March 2018, the preliminary findings of the crop assessment indicate that production of maize, sorghum, and beans will be below last season’s production. Some factors identified as contributing to lower summer production include reductions in planted area because there were no government-led block farms that planted, a later start to the season, extended dry spells, and pests. Winter planting from July-October may be possible for households that have access to seeds.

    March maize meal prices are still stable and below last year. Poor and very poor households are currently accessing food from their early harvests, through purchases, and from harvest-related labor. Opportunities for on-farm labor have been affected by the reduced production this season, especially in areas where crops were damaged from the hailstorm. Households that own significant livestock are busy shedding wool and mohair before the start of the winter or dry season in the coming months. There is currently no information available on whether the extent of the damage by the hailstorms will adversely impact household engagement in off-farm labor activities during the dry season.

    Minimal (IPC Phase 1) area outcomes are expected for April and May. From June-September Stressed (IPC Phase 2) area outcomes are projected as food security is expected to deteriorate among poor households that experienced a below-normal harvest.

    Figures Seasonal Calendar in a Typical Year

    Figure 1

    Seasonal Calendar in a Typical Year

    Source: FEWS NET

    In remote monitoring, a coordinator typically works from a nearby regional office. Relying on partners for data, the coordinator uses scenario development to conduct analysis and produce monthly reports. As less data may be available, remote monitoring reports may have less detail than those from countries with FEWS NET offices. Learn more about our work here.

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