Months of drought in southern Africa, exacerbated by the El Niño weather phenomenon, have resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis that has affected over 27 million individuals. The World Food Program (WFP) has declared this situation the worst hunger crisis in decades, raising alarms about a potential “full-scale human catastrophe.”
The countries of Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have all officially declared national disasters due to the drought, which has led to widespread crop failures and severe malnutrition, particularly among children.
The drought’s impact is particularly acute in a region where millions depend on small-scale, rain-fed agriculture for sustenance and income. Current estimates indicate that about 21 million children in southern Africa are malnourished, highlighting the urgent need for intervention.
The onset of the lean season in October is expected to worsen conditions, with food shortages anticipated to increase until the next harvests arrive in March and April. Families are struggling to secure even one meal per day, and the combination of failed crops and livestock losses is placing immense pressure on food systems.
Southern Africa Faces Humanitarian Crisis Amid Severe Drought and El Niño Impact
As the crisis deepens, affected nations are urgently seeking international assistance. Alongside the five countries that have declared disasters, Angola and Mozambique are also feeling the severe effects of the drought. The WFP has emphasized the need for immediate funding, estimating that around $369 million is required to address the situation.
However, the organization has received only about 20% of that amount due to a significant shortfall in donations. While the WFP is making efforts to provide food aid and critical support, the overall response is hampered by competing humanitarian needs in other parts of the world, including Gaza and Sudan.
Reports indicate that this drought is among the most severe in a century, particularly impacting the agricultural season from January to March. The latest El Niño event, which began in mid-2023 and concluded in June, played a critical role in causing below-average rainfall.
This weather phenomenon, combined with human-induced climate change and rising ocean temperatures, has led to extreme weather events that have further complicated agricultural production in the region.
The repercussions of the drought extend beyond food insecurity and threaten essential resources and infrastructure. For example, Zambia faces significant electricity shortages as its hydroelectric power generation from the Kariba Dam has been severely affected by low water levels.
In desperate measures, authorities in Namibia and Zimbabwe have started culling wildlife to provide food for hungry populations. The broader challenge remains that sub-Saharan Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change, with communities heavily reliant on rain-fed agriculture and natural resources but lacking the financial resources needed to implement effective climate resilience strategies.
