By Pearl Matibe

WASHINGTON DC: On May 18, U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken told the Food Security Ministerial, that the war in Ukraine was worsening, “extreme poverty and food insecurity will be experienced this year.” 

This includes emaSwati who need support in the midst of acute food insecurity. The Secretary of State said all crisis drivers have, “been made worse by President Putin’s war of choice.”

Another, “$215 million in new emergency food assistance,” was announced by Secretary Blinken.He expects the U.S. Congress “very soon to approve approximately $5.5 billion” more.

The U.S. released a joint statement with 10 African countries on their Roadmap for Global Food Security–Call to Action, which Eswatini was not part of. The 2022 Global Report on Food Crisis published factors driving food insecurity: wars, extreme climate events, “historic multi-season droughts and floods; economic shocks, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on livelihoods, incomes, and high food prices".

Jointly,  the Global Food Network Against Food Crisis and the Food Security Information Network say Eswatini “requested external assistance for food and/or faced shocks as assessed by FAO‑GIEWS in 2021, at least once in the past three years or for at least three years in the past ten years.” 

The number of emaSwati since 2016, in crisis or worse, increased by 92% between 2016 and 2021. Reportedly, Eswatini has consistently had major food crises.

A January 2022 IPC report reveals that between December 2021 and March 2022, about 336,000 Emaswati, 29% of the population of Eswatini were people facing elevated levels of acute food insecurity. Of this population, 286,260 (24%) were in crisis facing deprivation that threatens lives or livelihoods and decreased food gaps to protect their lives. 50,000 were in an emergency category, meaning households have large food consumption gaps which are reflected in remarkably  acute malnutrition and excess mortality.

Emaswati living in what IPC calls Timber Highlands and Moist Middleveld, had 47% of their households that had food stocks lasting more than six months.