The 2023/2024 El Niño event has caused the worst drought in Southern Africa in 40 years, leading to severe food shortages, significant health crises, and the displacement of over one million people. Approximately 23 million individuals are facing high food insecurity, particularly in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, necessitating urgent humanitarian assistance.
The 2023/2024 El Niño phenomenon has triggered unprecedented drought conditions across Southern Africa, with a severity not witnessed in the past four decades. The onset of rains was late, coupled with prolonged dry spells and extreme temperatures, resulting in devastating impacts on communities already enduring hardships from failed agriculture and challenging microeconomic conditions. Reports indicate that this drought has precipitated substantial food shortages, limited access to clean water, various disease outbreaks, and significant losses of livestock. Recent assessments by national governments and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) reveal that maize production has dropped sharply, with harvests falling below the region’s five-year averages. As communities grapple with an alarming depletion of food reserves, approximately 23 million individuals across the region are now facing severe food insecurity, particularly in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. Estimates suggest that between 14.0 to 14.9 million people will require urgent humanitarian aid during the critical period from October to December 2024. Drought disasters have been officially declared in six countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, while Angola and Mozambique are also severely affected, with 1.8 million individuals in Angola and 3.3 million in Mozambique projected to be food insecure. Furthermore, the drought has exacerbated a dire health situation, with over 2 million children predicted to suffer from acute malnutrition in 2024, including more than 500,000 facing severe malnutrition. These extreme weather events have not only displaced thousands but have also led to widespread food and water shortages, critically impacting agricultural productivity. In the context of a significant cholera epidemic, which has somewhat stabilized, the ongoing water shortages severely hinder hygiene and sanitation initiatives, leaving countries like Malawi and Mozambique at a heightened risk for cholera outbreaks. The adverse effects of drought are anticipated to intensify existing challenges, such as the spread of HIV and AIDS, mental health crises, and gender-based violence, thereby underscoring the pressing need for robust preparedness and responsive measures in these vulnerable communities. The compounded distress induced by El Niño, cholera epidemics, conflict, and climate change has severely strained health systems, thereby limiting access to vital reproductive health services. Internal displacement has soared, with over one million individuals displaced due to climate change and disaster-induced strife, particularly in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
Southern Africa is currently grappling with the effects of the 2023/2024 El Niño event, which has led to severe drought conditions impacting agricultural output and availability of clean water. The region is already vulnerable due to existing health crises, economic challenges, and inadequate infrastructure. The combination of these factors has aggravated food insecurity, with millions facing immediate humanitarian needs and highlighting the need for coordinated response efforts across affected countries.
In summary, Southern Africa is experiencing its most severe drought in 40 years due to the 2023/2024 El Niño event, which has resulted in extensive food insecurity, health challenges, and displacement. With millions in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, the impacts of drought, compounded by pre-existing health crises and economic vulnerabilities, necessitate immediate and coordinated intervention to alleviate suffering and prevent further deterioration of living conditions in the region.
Original Source: reliefweb.int
