US embassy cable - 05MASERU205

UNCLAS MASERU 000205 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
FOR USAID/OFDA -- ATTN: KISSACS; GGOTTLIEG, MMARX, AND CPRATT 
PRETORIA -- PLEASE PASS TO USAID/OFDA/SARO -- ATTN: HHALE; ASINK 
PRETORIA FOR USAID/FFP -- ATTN: PDISKIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, PREL, LT 
SUBJECT: DISASTER DECLARATION FOR LESOTHO 
 
REF: A) FEWSNET FOOD SECURITY BRIEF MARCH 2005   B) HALE-ALBRECHT EMAILS 
 
OCTOBER 2004 TO PRESENT  C) GOL APPEAL FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE   D) 03 
MASERU 746   E) 02 MASERU 556 
 
1. The Ambassador declares that a humanitarian disaster exists 
in Lesotho due to the continuing shortage of food.  In essence, 
the conditions that created a humanitarian disaster starting in 
2002 (ref E)  and continuing in 2003-2004 (REF D) remain in 
effect: the drought continues and the situation has not 
significantly improved.   Therefore, this constitutes Embassy 
Maseru's request for humanitiarian assistance.  Post is not 
requesting $50,000 from USAID/OFDA, as this is a renewal of an 
earlier Disaster Declaration, but looks forward to working in 
collaboration with USAID/OFDA to determine the most appropriate 
humanitarian assistance priorities and possible funding levels. 
 
 
2. The situation in Lesotho remains very serious.  Rains for the 
summer crops were below average and occurred well after the 
normal planting/maturation period.  Ref A notes that the summer 
harvest, while improved from last year will be no better than 14 
per cent BELOW the five-year average, which is based largely on 
the three-plus years of drought conditions.  Also, it should be 
noted that the harvest projection in Ref A is the most 
optimistic prediction; the WFP office has stated that the actual 
yield could be 15 to 25 per cent lower than the 120,000 metric 
tons estimated by FEWSNET.  Further, WFP predicts that critical 
food shortages will continue during the 2004/2005 consumption 
year.   While rains in late January through March will benefit 
the winter crops, such yields even during years of normal or 
higher rainfall account for only a small percentage of the 
annual agricultural harvest.  According to the latest WFP report 
on Lesotho, the current PRRO has a shortfall of 7459 Metric 
tons.   WFP estimates that 350,000 people (about 18 per cent of 
the country's total population) will remain chronically food 
insecure unless conditions improve greatly.  Finally, it should 
be noted that the Government of Lesotho has issued an appeal for 
humanitarian food assistance. 
 
3. Post looks forward to working with USAID/FFP and USAID/OFDA 
regional offices to identify critical humanitarian assistance 
needs and gaps that the USG can best address in Lesotho.  The 
Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee (LVAC) will be 
undertaking a nationwide assessment of food security conditions 
in the weeks to come, following the expected greatly reduced 
harvest, and will further refine and identify those geographic 
and demographic segments of Lesotho at greatest risk of 
increased food insecurity.  Post will review assessment findings 
to further review and update humanitarian needs in Lesohto. 
 
 
 
PERRY