August 16 - Southern African leaders meet as region faces food crisis

Leaders of 15 southern African countries will gather for an annual summit on Monday as the region grapples with serious food shortages that have left a record number of people needing aid.

A toxic mix of erratic rains, abnormally high temperatures and floods have wreaked havoc on farming, writing off the bulk of this year's crop. An estimated 27.4 million people out of the region's combined population of 292 million -- or nearly one in 10 people -- will be depending on food handouts by the end of the year.

Yields of the staple corn have shrunk by up to 90 percent in some countries of the 15-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC), a June report by the group said. "Given the hazards faced, the number of food insecure people ... increased by 13 percent (to) 27.4 million this year compared to 24.3 million for last year," said the report.