UN warns of severe consequences of record drought in southern Africa
Date
2024-07-29 05:28:26
(MENAFN) The United Nations has issued a stark warning over the unprecedented drought currently ravaging southern Africa, revealing that the situation has reached its most critical phase. The drought, which has severely affected crop yields, left millions of people without food and forced five countries to declare a state of national disaster, shows no signs of improving.
According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the number of people struggling to feed themselves is expected to increase significantly. Lola Castro, WFP’s acting regional director for Southern Africa, said the dire conditions were only getting worse. She explained that current agricultural challenges were preventing farmers from harvesting their crops, with the next harvest not expected until April 2025.
The drought, attributed to the effects of El Niño, has led Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe to declare states of national emergency, with Lesotho recently joining the list. There are fears that Angola and Mozambique could also face similar declarations or a significant disparity between available food and need.
Castro noted that the drought is considered the worst the region has seen in a century, affecting an estimated 27 million people who rely heavily on agriculture for their livelihoods. The extreme weather conditions have decimated agricultural production, with estimates showing that Zambia lost 70 percent of its crops and Zimbabwe 80 percent. The destruction has led to declining crop yields and soaring food prices, worsening the humanitarian crisis.
Despite the easing of the El Niño phenomenon, the damage caused remains considerable. Mr. Castro said that the current state of the harvest is disastrous, with maize dry, thin and growing poorly. Farmers are wondering how they will be able to provide for their families in such difficult conditions. The current crisis underscores the urgent need for international support and intervention to address the widespread food shortages and economic challenges facing the region.
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