The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Wednesday that it urgently needs $400 million to feed millions of people in Southern Africa, following a severe drought that has left parts of the region in crisis. The WFP stated that the funding is essential for the next six months to support drought relief efforts in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi, where an El Niño-induced drought caused harvests yo fall, impacting 4.8 million people.
El Niño, a weather phenomenon known for disrupting wind patterns and warming Pacific Ocean temperatures, has significantly reduced rain levels, adversely affecting crop yields across Southern Africa. “It’s fair to say this will probably be the biggest El Niño response we have ever done in Southern Africa,” WFP spokesperson Tomson Phiri said.
Approximately 70% of the Southern African population, which relies on rain-fed agriculture, saw their harvests decimated due to the lack of rains. Phiri noted that the WFP is also providing cash payouts to support hungry communities and is looking to buy grain from international markets to address the shortfall.
In August of last year, the WFP spent $14 million to assist communities in Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. However, successive droughts have depleted grain stocks, forcing countries like Zimbabwe to seek grain imports. Private millers in Zimbabwe are planning to import 1.4 million metric tonnes of maize from Brazil, Argentina, and other countries to combat hunger.
Melissa Enoch
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