This El Ni o is another story. In September, experts from across Southern Africa drew up a regionwide drought strategy that included warning farmers early to plant drought-resistant crops, monitoring weather during the growing season, and bringing in government water and food experts to work with agricultural officials to mitigate the drought s effects. Other important changes from 1992 have also helped, said Robert Clement-Jones, senior environmental economist for the World Bank. Fighting has ended in Angola and Mozambique. South Africa is part of the international community.
Borders are freer, easing the flow of communication and transportation.
And many countries have liberalized their agricultural policies. Malawi is a case in point, Clement-Jones said. For years, the country s farmers were told when and what to plant maize. Other crops were taboo. That began to change four years ago, he said.