Since 2020, extreme weather and drought have devastated part of East Africa, triggering a food crisis impacting some of the staple foods in the region, including maize, wheat, rice, and sorghum.

For maize, 2021/22 production harvests in import-dependent Somalia, Kenya, and South Sudan will be 27, 25, and 20 per cent lower than last year and 32, 9, and 17 per cent lower than average levels, respectively, because of poor rainfall performance.

Production in Burundi and Rwanda will be similar to last year but 14 per cent above average. The surplus registered in Tanzania and Uganda is identical to 2020/21, though it is slightly higher than average1.