... toresolving food insecurity and the real achievements in increasing global food security, the gap between the aspiration of eradicating hunger and the continuing reality, portrayed, in this case, in ... availability in southern Africa in 2002/3 hasbeen affected by a number of factors as outlined below. Poor rainfall Erratic rainfalls were identified as the major cause of the reduced production of cereals ... the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS, especially in the worst-affected areas, such as southern Africa, was complicating the task of fighting hunger andstrengthening the livelihoods of the poor....