Namibia’s food security conditions not expected to improve

   WINDHOEK, Jan. 23 -- Namibia's weakening food security conditions are not expected to improve by March 2020, with more Namibians expected to go hungry, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said in a report on Thursday.
   The Early Warning Early Action Report on Food Security and Agriculture by the FAO stated that similar to other countries in Southern Africa, Namibia's food security is as a result of the reduction of food stocks and above average prices.
   The FAO report, which covers January through to March 2020 stated that Namibia has been placed on the priority list of countries that need an urgent intervention in fighting food insecurity.
   "Early action is needed to support off-season crop production to mitigate the impact of another poor rainy season forecasted, preventing further deterioration of food insecurity," the report said.
   Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe are also on the priority list.
   According to the report, the severe drought has caused below-average regional cereal output and increasing food insecurity across many countries, while ongoing low rainfall so far this season has considerably slowed vegetation regeneration, including pasture, across many countries.
   "The rainy season across Southern Africa in 2018/19 was one of the driest on record for nearly 40 years, particularly in southern Angola, north-western Botswana, western Madagascar, Namibia, southern Zambia and north-western Zimbabwe," it said. Xinhau