MAIZE  #FoodSecurity

Better weather conditions (like improved rainfall 🌦️). Higher planting area or better yields from farms. Improved farming practices or access to inputs (like fertilizer or quality seeds).

South Africa is currently experiencing a period of declining maize prices, offering welcome relief to households and to the livestock and poultry sectors that rely heavily on maize as feed.

Although no official communication has been issued by the Zimbabwean government, recent trade data suggests that the country has resumed maize imports — a move seen as a positive step toward addressing domestic grain shortages.

This decline is attributed to a substantial 26% increase in the 2024–25 maize harvest, reaching 16.12 million tons, well above the country's annual consumption of approximately 12 million tons. Consequently, South Africa remains a net exporter of maize, with a healthy surplus.

Senegal’s maize (corn) sector suffered a setback in the 2024/25 season. Cultivation area dropped 4.3 % to around 164,906 hectares, while output fell 12.7 % to 495,571 tonnes.At the same time, imports rose sharply — by 19 % in 2024 to 512,740 tonnes — highlighting the country’s increasing reliance on foreign maize to meet domestic demand.

The Government of Zambia has announced that it will complete all outstanding payments to farmers who supplied maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) by October 31, 2025.

Across Africa, maize — the continent’s most widely grown cereal crop — is at the center of a quiet revolution. The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is driving this transformation through advanced research, innovation, and collaboration with local scientists and farmers.

Maize prices in Kenya have surged dramatically as competition intensifies between the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and private millers — each vying for limited grain supplies.

While officials have highlighted major improvements in crop output, several independent observers argue that the numbers may not reflect conditions on the ground.