By the BBC's Bhekie Matsebula Mbabane

Swaziland has appealed for urgent food aid for its 200,000 people who are on the verge of starvation.

The country's National Disaster Task Force said that nearly 40% of Swaziland's population were at risk of dying following this year's poor harvest.

80 percent of the kingdom face starvation

The most affected areas are the lowveld, part of the highveld and the Lubombo plateau. The situation is so dire that the authorities are considering closing some of the schools in the area.

The chairman of the Task Force, Ben Nsibandze said the country now needs over 60,000 metric tonnes of maize, Swaziland's staple food, in order to cater for the thousands of starving families.

Empty reserves

Mr Nsibandze told the BBC's Network Africa that maize reserves had dried out and neighbouring South Africa does not have enough stock to export to Swaziland.

He said that government's efforts to get food aid from potential overseas donors have failed.

The withdrawal of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) from Swaziland early this year was another blow to the Task Force's food plans.

The National Maize Corporation reported that it has a problem in importing maize.

Food thefts from maize fields have been reported in Maphungwane, Matsanjeni and Mambane on the Lubombo plateau, forcing police to organise night patrols around the fields.

Private companies have, in the meantime, tried to organise mealie meal distribution to the worst affected families in Matsanjeni and Lavumisa in southern Swaziland.