Reduced crop and livestock production resultant from the prevailing worst El Nino weather phenomenon is set to extremely impact on Swaziland’s food security in 2016, APA reports on Thursday. Economist and University of Swaziland (UNISWA) lecturer Christopher Fakudze in his analysis said he is expecting the hunger situation to worsen in 2016 due to short supply and increased demand since the season for planting maize has already experienced delays, while the crops sown stand to be negatively affected by inadequate rains and higher temperatures. “The hunger situation will worsen as food prices are bound to escalate in response to reduced production, unsatisfied demand for food commodities yet supply shall be meagre,” he said. The reduced agricultural output would follow on last year’s disappointing season, which has already contributed to maize price increases. According to the South African Grain Farmers Association (Grain SA), 42 percent of maize in the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC) region comes from South Africa and about 14 SADC member states import 69 percent of their maize from South Africa. Fakudze said slowdown or a possible halt across various sectors, especially those dependent in agriculture will be eminent and this, he said will happen at a time when the South African currency, the Rand (pegged one-on-one with the Swazi Lilangeni) was becoming weaker.