Eastern Africa Grain Council executive director Gerald Masila. [Courtesy]

Close to 70 per cent of the Eastern and Southern African countries will continue to import food to meet their deficit following the increased effects of climate change.

The countries are feared to continue to grapple with the high cost of living and increased import bills as the nations endeavour to feed their population.

During an Eastern and Southern Africa public-private policy dialogue and grain trade business-to-business forum held last week in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania noted that more than 60 per cent of the region’s countries are facing low maize production levels following interruption of the crop by effects of climate change.

Despite the low supply of food, Eastern and Southern African governments committed to facilitating the private sector to undertake trade following the signing of grain trade contracts valued at $409 million (Sh52 billion).

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