Household food security in major communal crop-producing regions is satisfactory as most households will remain dependent on the last season’s harvests for food access, an Agricultural Inputs and Household Food Security Situation report has indicated. The report, issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry on Wednesday, said most households in the north-eastern and central-north regions are still dependent on harvests from last season following good agricultural production in 2020. The harvests are expected to sustain them until the next harvest in May 2021. “Some farmers have sold their surplus grain to commercial millers, individuals, and/or the Agricultural Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA). Food security elsewhere in the country is also said to be fine, given a substantial improvement in agricultural production last season,” read the report. Meanwhile, the southern, central and western parts of the country, in particular, //Kharas, Hardap, Erongo, southern Khomas and southern Kunene, have remained in a fragile situation following the late and poor rainfall received last season. It is further suggested that constant monitoring and interventions, especially for the vulnerable groups, take place in these areas. However, despite good crop harvests recorded in the northern regions last season, the National Strategic Food Reserve (NSFR) stock level in various localities of the country was reported to be very low by 31 December 2020, representing only 14,05% of the overall holding capacity. From the available NSFR stock, consisting of white maize, 1 183.74 metric tonnes is in Katima Mulilo; 2 033.55 metric tonnes in Rundu, and 1 417.32 metric tonnes in Okongo. Meanwhile, the Omuthiya and Tsandi silos are reported to currently be empty. “Farmers are hesitant to sell their grains as they are still recovering from the devastating drought in 2019 and are not certain as to whether the 2020/21 cropping season will be a good season. Moreover, farmers are not happy with the value of N$4,95 per kilogramme placed on their grains. This, according to them, is too low considering the high production cost for their produce. Farmers, therefore, suggest a price of at least N$10 per kilogramme,” the report states. -NAMPA