Southern Africa is currently in the grip of its worst food crisis in decades, with more than 27 million people facing severe hunger due to the impact of a months-long drought, the UN’s World Food Program (WFP) said on Tuesday.
The drought, which is attributable to the El Nino weather phenomenon, has ravaged crops, killed livestock, and left entire communities without sufficient food supplies, creating what WFP spokesperson Tomson Phiri described as a potential “full-scale human catastrophe.”
During a press briefing in Geneva, Phiri highlighted the urgency of the situation, stating “the need for action has never been clearer.”
“This is the worst food crisis in decades,” the WFP spokesperson said.
Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have declared national disasters because of the drought, while Angola and Mozambique are also severely affected. The WFP estimates that around 21 million children in the region are now malnourished, exacerbating an already dire situation as communities face soaring food prices and dwindling resources.
The WFP has outlined plans to provide food and cash assistance to more than 6.5 million people across the seven hardest-hit countries until the next harvest in March. However, the states have so far received only 20% of the $369 million they require.
The drought, which the US Agency for International Development described as the most severe in 100 years during the crucial January to March agricultural season, has wiped out vast swathes of crops. This crisis has caused food prices to skyrocket, which has exacerbated the challenges facing vulnerable communities.
In addition to the food crisis, the drought has had other far-reaching consequences. Zambia, which relies heavily on hydroelectric power from the Kariba Dam, has faced severe power blackouts as the dam’s water levels have dropped dramatically. In April, Zimbabwe, which shares the dam with Zambia, declared a national disaster in response to the crisis, which it described as the worst in 40 years.
In February, Russia delivered 200,000 tons of free wheat to Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Mali, Somalia, Chad, and Eritrea as part of a humanitarian initiative announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin during the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg in July 2023.