VZCZCXRO7071
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHMR #0567/01 2841545
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 111545Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3396
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME IMMEDIATE 0013
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 3795

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000567 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USAID/DCHA/FFP ALSO FOR WHAMMINCK, JDWORKEN, TANDERSON, LPETERSON, SGILBERT; 
USAID/DCHA/OFDA ALSO FOR CPRATT, KLUU, GGOTTLIEB, AFERRARA; 
USAID/AFR ALSO FOR ELOKEN, LDOBBINS; 
PRETORIA ALSO FOR USAID PDISKIN, JWESSEL, HHALE, NMANGQALAZA; 
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S; 
ROME FOR USUN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAGR EAID PREL SOCI LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: RENEWAL OF FOOD INSECURITY DISASTER DECLARATION 
 
REF: Maseru 403 
 
MASERU 00000567  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  This is an action cable.  See paragraphs 2 and 7 below. 
 
¶2.  SUMMARY:  On July 10, Charge issued a food insecurity 
disaster declaration following a severe decline in Lesotho's 
agricultural production as a result of drought conditions 
affecting the southern African region.  Lesotho will require 
additional humanitarian assistance to meet critical relief needs 
and to assist with post-drought recovery in FY 2008.  For this 
reason, the Ambassador hereby renews the referenced disaster 
declaration for FY 2008 and looks forward to working with 
USAID's Regional Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) and 
Regional Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) on 
enacting effective humanitarian interventions in the Mountain 
Kingdom.  END SUMMARY. 
 
---------- 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶3.  According to a variety of food experts, Lesotho government 
officials, and official observers -- including USAID, the World 
Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agricultural Organization 
(FAO), the GOL's Disaster Management Authority, and local and 
international NGO communities -- persistent drought and failed 
crops since December 2006 and subsequent hikes in commodity 
prices have created an increasingly acute food crisis in 
Lesotho.  The Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee (LVAC), 
in a report drafted in July 2007, increased their estimated 
population of people with "missing food entitlements" from 
400,000 to 553,000 out of a population of 1.88 million. 
According to a USAID assessment, the risks of acute malnutrition 
("wasting") are higher this year due to: (1) the cumulative 
effects of six consecutive poor harvests; (2) the fact that this 
year's harvest has been the worst in many years; and (3) a spike 
in maize prices (more than double last year's prices) which 
makes it difficult for vulnerable households to compensate for 
their harvest failure with market purchases. 
 
--------------------------- 
USG Humanitarian Assistance 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4.  On June 11, the U.S. Embassy announced a United States 
Agency for International Development (USAID) donation to the 
World Food Programme (WFP) of 6,500 metric tons of food 
commodities, valued at $5 million, to help meet the critical 
food needs of rural households.  This assistance included 
approximately 4,100 metric tons of maize meal, 2,000 metric tons 
of peas, 300 metric tons of vegetable oil and 100 metric tons of 
corn-soy blend.  On July 10, the U.S. Embassy announced an 
additional USAID donation to WFP of 3,750 metric tons of food 
aid for Lesotho, valued at $2.93 million.  This assistance 
included 3,000 metric tons of cornmeal and 750 metric tons of 
pinto beans. 
 
¶5.  In addition, USAID extended by nine months a 
"food-for-assets" aid program administered by the C-SAFE 
consortium (World Vision, Catholic Relief Services, and CARE), 
providing an additional 5,300 metric tons of commodities, valued 
at over $6 million, to those in need in Lesotho.  These three 
major donations brought the total amount of supplemental food 
aid pledged by the United States Government in response to the 
current crisis in Lesotho to 15,500 metric tons, valued at 
$13.93 million. 
 
¶6.  USAID also is also supporting World Vision's "Lesotho 
Community Seed Aid Project" aimed at preventing famine in 
upcoming seasons.  The approximate value of the project is 
$550,000.  USAID also approved a C-SAFE program for small dam 
rehabilitation and improved irrigation in Lesotho valued at 
$400,000. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Renewal of Disaster Declaration for FY 2008 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  Given the widespread impact and duration of the ongoing 
drought and food security crisis, the nation's food shortfall 
may worsen before it improves.  Rains returned to Lesotho in 
October, but the prospects for the imminent planting season are 
entirely uncertain.  As such, Embassy Maseru hereby renews its 
referenced disaster declaration for fiscal year 2008.  Post will 
continue to monitor the situation and determine what additional 
humanitarian assistance would benefit Lesotho's vulnerable 
 
MASERU 00000567  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
populations, including the use of the $50,000 authorization from 
USAID/OFDA for urgent needs, possibly in the field of 
nutritional surveillance. 
NOLAN