BFN [Text] Lilongwe June 6 SAPA -- Three million people will need emergency food aid in 1994/95 following widespread crop failure in central and southern Malawi, the United Nations Food Aid Organisation [FAO] said on Monday [6 June]. A recent FAO/World Food Programme crop assessment mission blamed the crop failure on erratic and insufficient rainfall. This year's cereal production among smallholders is estimated to be 60 per cent less than last year's bumper harvest, and only 28 per cent higher than in 1991/92, when drought devasted southern Africa. The mission estimated about 493,000 tons of cereals would have to be imported. Of the cereal food aid requirement, about 175,000 tons would be needed as emergency assistance for some three million people. Another 270,000 tons would be required to be sold in the market to stabilise food supply and prices. "Food scarcity in the markets leads to riots, hoarding and skyrocketing prices. That happened during the big drought of 1992. We attach equal importance to keeping the commercial sector well-supplied," said WFP Director Phillip Ostenso. Despite a bumper harvest last year, Malawi has not recovered from the massive 1991/92 drought. The sharp decline in the production of major crops such as tobacco and cotton due to drought means reduced incomes for many rural households. Malnutrition rates have always been very high in Malawi, even with good harvests. Studies suggest more than half of rural pre-school children suffer from chronic malnutrition. Thus food shortages and high prices can quickly aggravate an already critical situation. Although landlocked, Malawi proved in the 1991/92 drought it was adequately equipped to handle the transportation, storage and internal distribution of large volumes of food imported through South Africa, Mozambican or, possibly, Tanzanian ports [words indistinct].
Malawi has been added to the list of countries requiring the import of food following crop failure in 1994 - 95 . Malawi needs the import of food for three million people . Some of the imported food could be used in the market to stabilize supply and prices . This would prevent riots , hoarding , and extreme prices , all of which occurred during the 1992 famine . Malawi has not yet recovered from the 1991 - 1992 famine . Malnutrition rates are high , particularly among children . Malawi is landlocked but it did not have any problems in the supply of imported food during the previous drought and famine .